The 600 new chargers will also reserve parking spots for EVs and use the same pricing model as the initial pilot, according to the NYC Department of Transportation.
The city is still determining which EV chargers to use. In its Con Ed pilot, it chose the company FLO. But installing those chargers required digging underground to connect to a main power line, then patching up the street or parking lot — a process that’s not only expensive but time-consuming to get the right permits for.
The bill for FLO’s construction was $13.4 million — almost as much as the city’s new $15 million grant — to deploy just 60 chargers over six years. That per-charger rate would make it costly to install 600EV chargers, let alone the 10,000 the city wants to eventually build. But there are less expensive approaches.
Voltpost, which installed two chargers in NYC as part of another pilot project, converts lampposts to EV chargers. Its model cuts costs significantly because it doesn’t require digging, said founder Jeff Prosserman, though it does entail upgrading the electrical capacity of streetlights from 150 to 240 volts. That can be done with a single wire that connects to the lamp, Prosserman said, at a cost that’s less than the conventional charger model.
Prosserman declined to share specific per-charger costs, but said his company would be able to deploy 600 chargers within the $15 million budget and can retrofit a lamppost in one to two hours.
Another method for getting EV chargers close to consumers is connecting them to buildings — the model Itselectric uses. That also avoids the need to dig by tapping into energy already being sent to buildings. Each Itselectric charger costs under $10,000 to install, according to Gordon, who said the company could deploy more than twice the amount of chargers within the city’s $15 million budget.
“The power is already there at the exact right level, because Level 2 charger is the same as an electric dryer or electric oven that you would put into that building,” Gordon said, referring to the standard charging level that curbside chargers use. “That allows us to deploy chargers literally anywhere there’s a building and a curb.”
Neither Itselectric nor Voltpost is formally involved in the NYC project at this stage, though both say they intend to apply to DOT once it issues a request for proposals. A timeline for construction will be announced later this year, DOT said.
Once built, the hope is that the new curbside chargers will nudge more of NYC’s car owners to choose electric vehicles. While New York has more robust public transit options than most U.S. cities, offering residents a much climate-friendlier way to get around their city than even owning an EV, nearly half of its households still own a car. If the city is to decarbonize, those car owners — along with the city’s fleets of taxis, buses, trucks, and delivery vans — need to leave gas behind.
For all those vehicles, “we want to make sure they have the capacity to go from gas to electric,” Prosserman said. And that can happen only with the proper charging infrastructure in place.
One of Disneyland’s original attractions, Autopia, will see the ride’s cars go from using a 270cc, 8.5 horsepower Honda gasoline engine, with a top speed of 6.5 mph, to quiet and clean all-electric cars sometime in 2026, confirmed in press reports by Jessica Good, Disneyland spokesperson.
Disnyland 1955 – Day 2
Disneyland in Anaheim opened on Sunday, July 17, 1955. My family (mom, dad, older sister and I) went on the second day it was open, July 18, and I have been back too many times to count. I’ve now been driving electric cars for years, but the cars at Autopia still sputter with their little gas engines, filling the surrounding air with noxious emissions. Disney now says it is going to catch up with the outside world in the not-too-distant-future.
Autopia is the last of the Tomorrowland original rides still operating since the park opened some 70 years ago. Like millions of little kids, Autopia was the first place I “drove” a car. The gas pedal, that also acts as the brake when lifting off, and a sort-of functioning steering wheel gave a sensation of doing what mom and dad did, even though the cars ran on a guide that keeps the driver from going off the track. It didn’t matter—it was a blast!
Big Goals
The Walt Disney Company is four years into its 2030 Environmental Goalsplan that focuses on water, waste, materials, sustainable design and, most interesting to Clean Fleet Report, greenhouse gas emissions, which directly affects one of the oldest rides at the park.
Driving to catch up
Disneyland’s electric cars wouldn’t be a first as the Autopia cars at Hong Kong Disneyland have been all electric since 2006, a year after the park opened for business, through the ride closed in 2016 to make way for a new attraction, Marvel’s Avengers Quinjet Experience.
Expect Honda to play an important role in the Anaheim Autopia cars going green by using its considerable experience in building battery electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
The cars last big change was 2000, when they were completely new with three designs—a Volkswagen Beetle convertible, a sports car and an off-roader. When Honda became the ride’s sponsor in 2016, the cars were repainted in Honda colors used on their street cars, given new tires, engines and a Honda badge on the hood.
Going electric will mean no more breathing gas fumes which, combined with Anaheim’s 90+ degree summer days, could make going on the Autopia ride more like a ride on the crowded I-5 in a convertible.
Beyond the Kiddie Cars
The Autopia cars aren’t the only transportation in the park being converted to zero or low-emission vehicles. Currently 14 percent of the resort’s vehicles have already been converted to zero-emission, which join these modes that are treading lighter on the environment.
The first ride – low emission
The Parking Lot Trams run on compressed natural gas (CNG), replacing 56,000 gallons of diesel each year. The tram for most Disneyland guests is the first ride they will take, and is an essential part of making a visit more convenient.
The Disneyland Monorail, circling the park on a 2.5 mile loop, has been zero-emissions since it opened in 1959. The design is both retro and futuristic, retaining the same look as when it was first built.
The Disneyland Railroad and Mark Twain Riverboat were converted in 2009 to biodiesel, made from recycled cooking oil. The reuse of plant material saves about 200,000 gallons of petroleum-based diesel every year.
The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage went through a major refurbishment in 2007. When the ride reopened in 2008 the submarines were powered by electricity, replacing diesel engines.
The next time you are at Disneyland, take a few minutes to appreciate the usually unnoticed and unrecognized part of the park operation. The vehicles are an integral element of an enjoyable visit, and as they become lighter on the environment they will help everyone breathe easier.
Make sure to opt-in to the Clean Fleet Report newsletter (top right of page) to be notified of all new stories and vehicle reviews.
The post Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth Goes Electric first appeared on Clean Fleet Report.
Source link by Clean Fleet Report
Author John Faulkner
#Disneyland #Happiest #Place #Earth #Electric
Zion National Park’s shuttle fleet has become one of the first bus fleets in the US to go all electric, and the first at a National Park.
Zion National Park in Southern Utah is renowned for its colorful canyons and arches, and is one of the “mighty five” national parks in the region showing off Utah’s natural beauty.
The park, which is largely situated around a narrow canyon, started getting more and more visitors in the 1990s, leading to traffic issues. This led the park to close off most park roads to private traffic, and institute a shuttle system to bring visitors through the canyon and back and forth from the town of Springdale just outside the park.
Those buses went into service in 2000, and helped to revitalize the park by reducing noise and pollution from traffic, which are always a scourge in beautiful natural areas.
“The remarks we got from visitors in the very first summer were fantastic. They said, ‘You have given us back the canyon.’ They said, ‘We can hear the birds sing and the air is fresh.’ No longer were the traffic jams fouling the air, impacting the soundscape, and diminishing the visitor experience.”
Jeff Bradybaugh, Zion National Park Superintendent
However, those buses ran on propane, so they were still noisy and contribute to the degradation of natural environments due to their use of fossil fuels.
Now, Zion has upgraded its entire fleet to all-electric buses, rather than the previous propane buses, becoming the first fleet at any National Park to do so.
The fleet includes 30 all-electric buses to replace the 39 previous propane buses. The new buses are more spacious, quieter, and include air conditioning and better disability accommodations, which the previous buses did not have.
The old shuttles had air vents, instead of AC (NPS Photo)
Best of all, they’re also more efficient, and therefore contribute less to the climate change that has made Zion’s summer days hotter and hotter (as humans apparently refuse to stop poisoning the only home we have).
The fleet’s full conversion was announced this week, but the buses have already been operating and shuttling visitors. Over Labor Day weekend, they shuttled 97,000 riders through the park – saving a huge amount of car trips, exhaust, and noise that would have otherwise been required. Zion says each shuttle replaces 29 cars on its roads.
Zion National Park director Chuck Sams announcing the new bus fleet
The buses were largely funded by the US Department of Transportation through a grant program for nationally significant federal lands.
While this is the first National Park bus fleet to go all-electric, the National Park Service is working to transition other large bus fleets, like those at Grand Canyon, Acadia, Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, and Harpers Ferry, to all-electric buses. This is all part of the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to shift the entire federal fleet to electric vehicles.
And Zion hopes that it can serve as a role model for other bus fleets, whether federal or otherwise, and show how successful an all-electric bus fleet can be at reducing both air and noise pollution. “This is the state-of-the-art electric bus fleet in the country. It is going to set a standard for other national parks” said Robin Carnahan, administrator of the General Services Administration.
To reduce your carbon footprint and live more sustainably, consider going solar. EnergySage is a free service that connects you with trusted, reputable installers in your area – without having to give up your phone number until you select an installer. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way through EnergySage. Get started today! – ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Source link by Electrek
Author Jameson Dow
#Zion #national #park #allelectric #shuttle #bus #service
The mad scientists over at Critical have taken a high-torque electric motor from an obscure motorcycle brand, stuffed it into a go-kart chassis, and created a life-altering wheelie machine that is truly and completely bonkers.
Critical is a YouTube channel and Instagram that does all sorts of crazy powersports stuff, and this latest build has to be one of their craziest yet.
“I’v [sic] taken apart a STARK VARG electric Motocross (80 Horsepowers, 938 Nm Torque) and placed the power train in a Go Kart,” reads Critical‘s video description – and, if you’ve ever spent real time in a proper racing kart, you already know how crazy/awesome that sounds.
Our own Micah Toll covered the STARK VARG donor vehicle back in 2021, calling the bikes revolutionary, “with specs that crush gas bikes.” And, while STARK hasn’t made much noise since, its massively powerful electric motors (at least) proved not to be vaporware! But, while the motor is interesting and the video is fun in a Song of the Sausage Creature kind of way, the kart’s not the real story here.
There’s a bigger story here than a 700 lb-ft kart, though (938 Nm = 691 lb-ft). And it’s playing out over at Dodge, come to think of it. And at drag strips all over America. Heck, even the Hemi faithful and the hillclimbers and the import tuner scenesters understands what’s coming – and that’s this: if you want to go fast, really, truly, pants-s**ttingly fast, you need to start taking electric power seriously.
That’s more than enough opining from me, though. Click play on that video up there, and revel in the smoke-free madness.
A small electric SUV with 300 miles of range produces 52% fewer life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than a comparable gasoline vehicle, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Greenhouse gas emissions from production and distribution are currently around double that of gasoline production and distribution, the DOE notes, but that’s more than offset by the tailpipe emissions of gasoline vehicles, which represent nearly three quarters of their total life-cycle emissions.
Comparison of 2024 lifetime greenhouse gas emissions of small SUVs (via U.S. Department of Energy)
And while producing and burning fossil fuels will never get cleaner, it’s possible for overall EV emissions to decrease through the use of renewable energy to power the grid. This is already happening. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) in 2020 found that 94% of Americans already lived in a place where, based on the local grid, electric cars were cleaner than 50-mpg gasoline cars.
That being said, other analysis has found that SUVs are still not the best choice for the environment regardless of whether they’re powered by electricity or gasoline. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said earlier this year that SUVs emit 20% more CO2 compared to cars regardless of powertrain type. If those extra emissions were compared to countries, they would make SUVs the world’s fifth largest CO2 polluter, according to the IEA.
2025 Hyundai Kona Electric
The IEA also warned in 2023 that the SUV market is fueling global oil demand, countering some of the emissions reductions one might hope to see from higher EV adoption. SUVs are generally heavier than cars, which impacts efficiency of combustion and electric powertrains alike. That inefficiency is magnified by increased global SUV sales, which reached a record 48% in 2023, according to the IEA.
In this case the DOE’s distinction between overall SUV emissions and those of smaller models is key. The DOE previously noted that smaller SUVs are better for the environment in terms of CO2 emissions, and that EVs and plug-in hybrids are better still.
Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Stephen Edelstein)
#DOE #Small #SUVs #halve #lifetime #GHG #emissions #EVs #gas
We met the Volvo EX30 during an adventure day back in May. Then we met up with Tom and spent a weekend with him and his car at the Rockhampton and Gladstone electric vehicle displays. “Let me know when you want to do an interview for an article for CleanTechnica,” I said. Well, here it is.
By Tom Sjolund, as told to David Waterworth
Tom tells me: “I’m quite slow in making quick decisions. I started looking at EVs when we installed our first solar system some two and a half years ago. At the time, there was not that much to choose from. There was of course the ubiquitous Tesla that everyone was raving about, the Atto 3 was about to be released, Nissan had been around for years, and there were offerings from Korea and the EU. My primary concerns were affordability, a factory tow rating, design, and a mature manufacturer of quality build.
Volvo EX30 at Gladstone. Photo courtesy of Majela Waterworth.
“My initial first thoughts were Polestar — heaps of power and torque, and a good tow rating. Then I saw press releases for the Volvo C40 and fell in love with the styling — such a beautiful design. This made me look at XC40, which I also liked, but at the time, the single motor was front-wheel drive. A year later, it came out as a RWD or AWD. The AWD was out of my range, but I did like the RWD and came so close to putting a deposit on one.
“Then, there was a lot of noise on the web about the Volvo EX30. Then Volvo had “the reveal” of the car, which I watched. I was smitten. Lots to watch here depending on how much time you have.
“The design and styling has to become a classic in time. The environmental aspects of its production also appealed to me. As it happened, that night my wife and I talked over it and next day we paid the deposit. Nine months later, we had the first one in Queensland. Since then, we have two new friends in our locality with EX30s as well.
“We have lived and enjoyed our EX30 since early May. Our first trip was from the dealership on the Sunshine Coast (Qld.) to home, some 550 km in the rain — arrived at home in the dark (loved the adaptive headlights). We had no problems with charging (I had organized a “Chargefox RFID Card” well in advance). We mainly use a granny charger at home (as we are a retired couple) off our over-the-top solar system, so, when we are at home, our general use of the car is free of cost.”
Volvo EX30 in Rockhampton EV display. Photo courtesy of Majella Waterworth.
“We have done two trips to Brisbane and back, about 2,700 km in total. Add in the 550 km, that’s 3,250 km of which we used fast chargers along the way. By a small margin, it still was cheaper than using our fossil fueled car. Currently we have done 8,200 km with the EX30, and of that, 5,000 km has not cost us a cent.
“What do I love about the EX30? Well, just about everything.
“I follow a number of Facebook sites hosting EX30 owners and I just can’t believe some of the complaints about the infotainment system. Like, ‘when can we get Apple CarPlay.’ Who would need it when the Google Automotive system is so good if not just brilliant? Then there are the legislated safety requirements, such as “Lane keeping,” which is a default. If you don’t want it (like me), it’s only two clicks away to turn it off — two clicks and it’s off; another click or two will take the vibration off the steering as well, not a big deal.
“On the other hand, I love the performance and handling of the EX30, even though 99% of the time I drive for economy and range. It is not as efficient as a Tesla because it is not as aerodynamic, but it’s not far off. Not that long ago, when I was younger, I was in a local rally club and competed in rallies and rally sprints, not the best but not the worst. I love being a driver. Once when my nervous wife was not in the car, I gave the Volvo a fang. I turned all the safety controls and driver’s aids off. Oh, man, is this car a go kart or not? Yes, it is, you can come into a tight corner so fast and just turn the wheel and around it goes, slight oversteer but so easily corrected, nothing that would concern any driver. If you wanted to drift, go for it. So easily corrected.
“When my wife is in the car, I leave Pilot assist on. So, even if you come into a corner fast or the car thinks it is too fast, it gives a gentle braking effect. She does not even notice and I stay in the good books.
“Each country that Volvo delivers their cars to have their own specific set off specifications. In Australia, we have two of the three versions available. We have the single-motor RWD in either Ultra or Plus (which I have) and the AWD in Ultra or Plus — all come with the extended range battery (69 kWh, 64 kWh usable).”
First time we met — not red ones! Photo courtesy of Majella Waterworth
“One thing that that was missing in the Australian spec was the electronic tow wiring module. We all love to tow in Australia, Volvo has made a mistake here. The EX30 is more than capable of towing, having a tow rating of 1,400 to 1,600 kg depending on the model. So, I had to get an aftermarket towbar (fully compliance EU) and have it installed and wired up. It cost a lot all up but I am very happy with it. The car is not worried when reversing up to the hitch, I can see both the tow ball and the caravan hitch in the reverse camera view. The car will autobrake as I get close; a bit more power overcomes this, love it.
“As an aside, my first car was a Vauxhall Viva back in 1972. To make it handle, I had to put a bag of cement in the boot. My next car was a Holden Torana (basic 138 engine/3 speed on the column). Loved it. Then a Morris (2.6L, 6 cylinder), a couple of Alfetta’s, a Renault R16 (awesome car), a Fiat X19, an Alfa Sud (Gold Cloverleaf). The Alfa Sud was awesome and the closest in terms of handling to the EX30. Actually, I loved them all in their own special ways. Along the way, we have had a Toyota Celica (the wife’s car), a Nissan Pulsar turbo, a Ford Focus ( a great car, good power, handles great, stiff as a surfboard). Finally, a Holden Colorado crew cab diesel, great towing vehicle which towed our 2.6T van around OZ for over 100,000 km.
“But, you know what? I’d never go back to a fossil fueled car ever again. Why would you when you have such a reliable, economical vehicle as the Volvo EX30 EV?”
Just when Tom thought he answered all my questions, I though of more. “Have there been any interesting reactions to the car?” He told me these vignettes:
“I came out of Bunnings to the EX30 and there was a woman looking around the car. As it was, I knew her from some work I did at the local university. She said, ‘I saw the car and just had to pull in behind to have a good look. It’s stunning, love the colour (Moss Yellow).’”
“I was parked at Emu Park when a young man came up to me and asked ‘are you Tom?’ I said yes. He asked, “Is that EX30 yours?” Anyway, I showed him and his wife the car and now they are the 3rd owners of an EX30 locally.” Well done, Tom.
“My wife, Alison, was followed through Yeppoon by a LandCruiser, and into the carpark at the shopping centre, they stopped and had a chat. He loved the car and had to know everything about it.”
“I took a friend up to the top of Mt. Archer (600+ meters climb). It’s a winding road with a 40 km/h limit, but I gave it a bit of a squirt on the steepest section. He was so impressed, but what impressed him most was going back down. I did not have to touch the brakes once, as the car used gravity to put another 3% back into the battery all at the 40 km/h speed limit.”
“My sister and her husband in Melbourne have an old petrol Volvo XC40 with a Polestar chip. They are really taken with the EX30.”
At this point, I told Tom that we had plenty for a great article, but he asked me to delay publication until he had completed a tow test and could give me more data.
“Yesterday, I hooked up the caravan to the EX30 and headed off to Byfield National Park — about a 112 km round trip. The car handled it so well, much better than with the Colorado, such a comfortable ride.
“A few weeks ago, I drove up with just the car to visit Tim McLennan and his family, who are electrekking around Australia in their Kia EV9. The Volvo EX30 registered about 15kW/100km. With the van attached, I got 28kW/100km, which was better than I expected. This would give me a range of about 230 km when towing. I’m happy with that.
Tom relaxing after his first tow with the Volvo EX30. Photo courtesy of Tom Sjolund.
“Our caravan is only small but has everything you would want. Aircon, hot water, fridge, toilet & shower, induction hotplate, air fryer, and soon with Starlink (no more carting around a sat dish). The power system on the van is 1×430W panel on the roof (that’s all we could fit there), plus another panel on the back on the van which folds out when camping, so a total of 860W of power which is connected to a Victron MPPT charger which chargers a nearly 5kWh LFP battery bank. Attached to the battery is a 3000W inverter giving us 240V power.
“During our stay we heated up the hot water system and had a shower, we heated up precooked food in the air fryer for dinner. In the morning, we had our tea and coffee from the induction hotplate, Alison had her cooked egg and toast all using battery power. When we got home, the batteries were still at 70%. We got home with a 230km range.”
Tom reminds me: “I love EVs no matter the make. Road transport contributes about 10% to emissions.” The future looks bright, electric, and sustainable. We can travel there in style and comfort with the Volvo EX30.
Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Latest CleanTechnica.TV Videos
Advertisement
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.
CleanTechnica’s Comment Policy
Source link by CleanTechnica Reviews Archives
Author David Waterworth
#Volvo #EX30
The new Talaria MX5 Sting Pro electric dirt bike may have just celebrated the one-week anniversary of its launch in the US, but it’s already marking another less-joyous occasion: the first documented major battery fire in a Talaria.
Videos on social media show what is reported to be a Talaria MX5 engulfed in flames as the rider details how he had managed to put only 20 miles (32 km) on the new bike before it caught fire underneath him.
The fire was confirmed by Eric Hicks, the founder and owner of Luna Cycle, which is well known as the main US-based supplier of Talarias and other light electric dirt bikes as well as high-power electric bicycles. Luna Cycle is often credited with introducing Talaria-style electric motorbikes into the US, long serving as Sur Ron’s exclusive distributor in the country and introducing several Talaria models in recent years.
According to Luna Cycle, which sold the Talaria MX5 bike in question, “This is the first major Talaria fire, of any model, reported in the USA. We take this very seriously, and plan to address this concern with the utmost priority.”
Hicks explained that Talaria normally only uses a well-respected battery maker known as Greenway Batteries. Greenway is one of the main suppliers for many electric bicycle brands in the US and around the world.
In fact, Greenway Battery has been the primary supplier for Talaria and Sur Ron electric motorbikes for years, and Luna Cycle has been a distributor and authorized repair center for Greenway Batteries in the US for eight years.
As Hicks continued, “In those eight years we have not seen a Greenway pack cause a fire and it is a big reason Surron and Talaria products have been so safe.”
An example of a Greenway Battery similar to those used in Sur Ron and Talaria-style electric motorbikes
However, due to a “clerical error made by the Talaria team,” some Talaria MX5 electric motorbikes that were shipped to the US included a battery produced by another supplier known as Scud.
“After investigating the incident and the bike involved in this fire, Luna verified the MX5 that caught fire last night unfortunately had a Scud battery installed in it from Talaria,” continued Hicks. “We are not sure of the cause of this fire and would prefer not to speculate at the possible causes, whether faulty or due to external factors. Regardless of the cause, Luna stands behind every bike and product it sells, and this incident is unacceptable for both Luna, and our customers.”
Luna Cycle has since announced a series of steps intended to address concerns regarding these Scud batteries. The company will replace the batteries in any Talaria MX5 bikes that shipped with Scud batteries and has since cancelled or reversed shipments on orders currently being processed that contain Scud batteries. Those bikes will have their batteries swapped and will ship in the next few days.
Not all Talaria MX5 Sting Pro bikes shipped from Luna Cycle in the past week have Scud batteries, but those customers who did receive an MX5 with a Scud battery will be contacted directly by Luna to receive a replacement Greenway battery.
While lithium-ion battery fires are known in the electric bicycle industry, they are relatively rare in the US compared to the millions of e-bikes already on the road. Such fires are even rarer in the case of more premium models, both premium electric trail bikes like these Talarias and high-end electric bicycles.
The few documented cases of electric bike battery fires in the US are usually related to inferior quality batteries used in bottom-tier budget-class e-bikes.
Several cities and institutions have begun initiating rules and regulations requiring safety certifications such as UL-compliance for micromobility vehicles features lithium-ion batteries, furthering a growing trend towards higher safety in the industry.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Source link by Electrek
Author Micah Toll
#documented #case #Talaria #electric #dirt #bike #flames
It was time for another summer New England road trip. Our plans were to head to Waitsfield, Vermont, home of Mad River Glen ski area (“Ski it if you can”), and stay at a family member’s vacation home. Of course, driving my 2017 Chevy Bolt EV would be a mountain test, as we would move from our Connecticut elevation of 627′ to nearly 2500′ at the top of Roxbury Mountain. We would need to break the four hour jaunt into two parts, with the goal of locating available fast charging near the interstates and managing the range as the upward climb would drain the battery more quickly.
Part 1: Successful Fast Charging at the Hilton in White River Junction
With over 5,000 miles on the new Bolt battery, the dash reads about 250 miles of range when the battery is full. The plan on the trek north to the Green Mountain state was for one pit stop, and we would build in just under an hour for the fast charging to fully replenish the battery. Like many road trippers, we sought fast chargers, as they deliver much more power to the car’s battery than the Level 2 chargers that most EV drivers use at home or work. Generally, fast chargers reach the 80% level in roughly half an hour, more or less.
Hubby identified the Hampton by Hilton in White River Junction. It was about 2.5 hours from CT at that point, and by arrival we had used about 170 miles of range. We slowly meandered through the multi-level parking lot, and I started to wonder if this was a fool’s errand. Then — voila! — the Flo fast charger appeared as I rounded the corner.
This was one of the best charging experiences we have had on the road since I bought the Bolt.
The Flo app recognized my account, I tapped a couple of screens, and the electrons were on their way. Inside the hotel, the desk clerks were quite welcoming. They offered us access to the hotel’s WiFi and home baked chocolate chip cookies. The clean restrooms and comfy lobby were a gift to us while we were on the road.
Kudos, Hampton and Flo!
Photo of pleasant hotel clerks at Hampton by Hilton in White River Junction, VT
We returned to the EV refreshed and headed with confidence further north into Vermont. We climbed up and over mountains on loose gravel roads and eased down the other sides into verdant valleys with glinting streams.
Roxbury Mountain, VT descent. Photo by Carolyn Fortuna | CleanTechnica.
Part 2: Level 1 Charging as We Tooled around in the Chevy Bolt
Hubby pulled into the Mad River Lookout and parked the Bolt. While I grabbed the refrigerated items, hubby snooped around and located an exterior electrical outlet. With a fairly long extension cord, that Level 1 outlet provided the majority of our charging while we were away from home. Sure, it was quite slow, but it sufficed, as we plugged in and hung out on the side of the mountain, watching the light change through the umbrella of mature firs and deciduous trees.
Photo by Carolyn Fortuna | CleanTechnica
We explored the region, starting in Waitsfield with the Mad River Glass Gallery and the Artisan’s Gallery. We expanded our tour to adjacent towns and ended up at Ben and Jerry’s Factory. The colorful attraction was filled with areas like the Scoop Shop, the Flavor Graveyard, and a playground for children. There were also free Level 1 chargers! (There was a Flo fast charger, but it was already filled with EVs.) So we plugged in, took the factory tour, ate some sample Mango ice cream, and had a bit of silly fun while we grabbed some electrons.
Photo of chargers at Ben and Jerry’s Factory by Carolyn Fortuna | CleanTechnicaPhoto by Carolyn Fortuna | CleanTechnica.
Later in the week we were invited to visit a new friend in Peacham, Vermont, which is located in the southern tier of the Northeast Kingdom. Jock’s historic home is an electrified wonder (and you, dear reader, are sure to learn more about this feat of engineering in a future CleanTechnica article). He kindly plugged us into a Level 2 charger in his barn, his own Hyundai Kona EV parked nearby. We toured and chatted and later lunched at the Three Ponds Sandwich Kitchen (I ordered the vegan Tempeh Bahn Mi and found it quite delicious. I also definitely recommend that you try their Maple Creemees for dessert — a local wonder!).
Photo of charging in Peacham, VT by Carolyn Fortuna | CleanTechnicaPhoto of rolling farmlands in Peacham, VT by Carolyn Fortuna | CleanTechnica
As our vacationing was coming to an end, we felt quite satisfied about our ability to charge at relative leisure and to feel no stress about getting to any destination we desired with battery charge to spare.
Little did we know what our return home would be like.
Part 3: What? No Level 3 Charging, even tho’ the App Said So?
The Flo station in Pomfret, Connecticut is situated in a really rural community but is located on a route that connects fairly major roads, and we really like to stop there for a fast charge. As the summer evolved and I became more and more comfortable taking road trips in the Bolt, I began to choose the Flo app as a one-stop way to locate charging stations.
Being rather a type A person, I took some time the day before we departed our mountainside oasis to seek out chargers along Interstates 89 and 91, which would bring us close to our summer Connecticut home. I used the Flo app and filtered to “for my Bolt EV,” “FLO,” “DC Fast,” and “available.” After a bit of swiping, I located a really snazzy trip planner that took me to Brattleboro, Vermont — about halfway home. I consulted with hubby, and we agreed that it would be the destination of choice for the road trip home.
I used the Flo app “Plan trip” option for directions and arrived a bit over two hours later. Again, a series of interconnected parking lots took some careful study, but we eventually found the charging station. It had two charging cables, but only one was designated for Bolt’s J1772 compatible plug. It wasn’t even a Flo charger. Another driver was standing in front of it, waving his iPhone and stomping slightly. Hubby rolled down the window when the frustrated EV driver came over, who kindly offered to find another charger so we out-of-staters could charge.
We declined his generous offer and headed to another purported fast charger, this time in Greenfield, Massachusetts. We’d arrive with about 80 remaining miles of expected charge, which would be sorta acceptable. It would also be necessary that we get charged there, as we probably couldn’t make it home on the buzzing interstate.
We found the charger in the Big Y parking lot after a couple of rings around the entire facility. It was a ChargePoint Level 2 charger. At that point, we had no choice. I logged into the ChargePoint app, clicked a couple of screens, and began charging. Fairly quickly afterward, I received a message saying that, while the first 45 minutes of charging was free, the next hour would rise to $3.00 an hour. While still reasonable, that charger would take hours to get us up to a point where we’d be at even half charge. So we added 15 miles, got free electrons, and crawled home at 60 mph in the right lane of the interstate.
Screenshot by Carolyn Fortuna | CleanTechnica
The dash noted that we had about 18 miles of charge left when we pulled into our delightful cabin in the woods by the brook.
Final Thoughts about an EV Mountain Test Trip
Today at home I studied the Flo app a bit more studiously. I realize now that the filters are a bit like idiot lights on my old 1967 Camaro — icons of things that might be but may not necessarily be. I will need to be a better fast charging planner for future road trips. Then again, this summer’s charging experiences as a whole on the road were much more positive than last summer’s, and it’s likely that next summer will be even better.
Ah, the eternal optimist…
“We really don’t have a fast-charging infrastructure today,” David Slutzky, founder of Fermata Energy, which builds vehicle-to-grid charging systems, told Bloomberg. Charging networks are building faster and larger stations in the US, although it’s not soon enough for those of us who already own EVs. Automakers now seems to be realizing that max charging rate is a deciding factor for car buyers, and they are accentuating the option on coming models.
“We still see a lot of discrepancy between what the customer is expecting and what they’re seeing at the site,” says Anthony Lambkin, vice president of operations at Electrify America. “The great news is we have a lot of new drivers, and this is just one of those learning-curve things.”
Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Latest CleanTechnica.TV Videos
Advertisement
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.
CleanTechnica’s Comment Policy
Source link by CleanTechnica Reviews Archives
Author Carolyn Fortuna
#Electric #Ice #Cream #Mountain #Test
Several new patent applications have revealed Tesla’s upcoming wireless home EV charging station.
The automaker never seemed interested in wireless charging for its electric vehicles.
The problem wireless charging solves is not a major one. It alleviates the need to plug in your car, which is not a super difficult or time-consuming task. Nonetheless, Tesla has previously talked about automating the task in order to be ready for self-driving technology. If the cars could drive themselves, it would make sense for them to be able to charge themselves without a human needing to plug them in.
Then, there’s also the issue of efficiency. Wireless charging historically had a bigger loss than cable charging, but some more recent solutions, like with magnetic resonance, for example, do claim similar ~95% efficiency as cable charging.
Nonetheless, over the years, Tesla has favored an automated robot arm instead of wireless charging to complete this task, but things have changed recently.
Last year, Tesla teased a new wireless home charging station – pictured above. The automaker never commented on the situation other than releasing this picture as part of a presentation.
However, the image pretty clearly shows a wireless charging station and Tesla did briefly acquire a startup that focuses on wireless charging before selling it back – not before integrating some of its staff, though.
Furthermore, Tesla chief designer Franz von Holzhausen recently confirmed that Tesla is working on a wireless charging pad.
Earlier this year, we also learned that the Cybertruck has inductive charging connectors, which hints that it could be retrofitted with a wireless charging pad.
Now, international patent offices have revealed that Tesla has applied for four new patents related to wireless charging:
Here are some drawings from the patent applications:
A lot of the patent applications have to do with managing the power electronics inside the system to optimize the power efficiency, which again, has been one of the main issues preventing wireless EV chargers going mainstream.
It’s unclear when Tesla plans to unveil its wireless charging technology, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it make an appearance at the Robotaxi unveiling next month since the technology has been linked to self-driving vehicles – enabling them to go charge by themselves without anyone having to plug it in.
Electrek’s Take
As I’ve previously said, I’m not super excited about this product, especially for home usage. Like I said, it doesn’t solve a major problem, and it’s likely not going to be cheap. You need to have a charging pad installed in your car, which add both weight and cost.
Then, you need to install the system in your garage, which is likely going to be more costly than a regular charge connector.
That said, I like to see more options. For those who value the slightly better user experience and who are willing to pay the price, I am glad that they will have the option.
It’s also obviously going to be more useful for self-driving cars, but like everything that works with self-driving cars, making the self-driving cars work is the tough part.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Source link by Electrek
Author Fred Lambert
#Tesla #reveals #wireless #home #charging #station #patent #filings
General Motors is looking to patent an “Endurance Mode” to help electric race cars go the distance.
Not to be confused with a certain ill-fated electric pickup truck, Endurance Mode is designed to emphasize range over outright pace, according to a GM patent application published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Aug. 22, and originally filed by GM in early 2023.
An oft-repeated saying in racing states “to finish first, first you must finish.” As GM explains in the application, an EV may not be able to complete the required number of laps in a given race at its maximum power output. GM’s solution is to create a drive mode that limits output in order to allow the vehicle to complete more laps at a set pace.
NASCAR electric race car prototype – Photo via Bcomp
Onboard controllers would monitor a number of factors to achieve this, but a main focus would be on battery temperature, according to the application. Controllers would look at ambient temperature as well as cooling demand for both the pack and the vehicle’s climate control system.
Endurance Mode could be packaged as part of a Track Mode, with the driver able to toggle between the long-range mode and a Qualifying Mode that allows for full power for short sprints, GM suggests in the application. That would be similar to current track-capable EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Lucid Air Sapphire, and it’s something GM has already discussed in a separate patent filing. Drivers could also customize settings based on the specific track venue, GM adds.
NASCAR electric race car prototype – Photo via Bcomp
Not all patented ideas prove commercially viable, and in this case GM would also have to consider the rules of specific racing series. Formula E already limits power output most of the time, only allowing drivers to use full power during pre-race qualifying and in specific circumstances during a race. But the rules also specify less onboard energy than would be required to finish a race at maximum pace, forcing drivers to conserve energy.
GM doesn’t currently participate in any electric racing series, but it’s no stranger to motorsports. Switchable drive modes could prove useful if something akin to the electric NASCAR prototype shown earlier this year ever hits the track, or in the electric Corvette the automaker confirmed for production in 2022.
Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Stephen Edelstein)
#GM039s #Endurance #Mode #racing
![Lunatic hero builds electric kart with nearly 700 lb-ft of mind-bending TQ [video]](https://ev-magazine.com/media/2024/09/Lunatic-hero-builds-electric-kart-with-nearly-700-lb-ft-of-696x364.jpg "Lunatic hero builds electric kart with nearly 700 lb-ft of")
