It’s been a busy year, but we love recording and talking all things EV. Hopefully we can get our act together and finish the year strong.

It takes three months (or longer) to get it back on the rails. Here it is; the last part of our discussion with Jason Fee.

Jason called me out on my GM bashing a few years ago and has become a friend of the show. He brings a manufacturers perpective to the discussion we have on EVD. It’s a fun, yet rambling conversation… because we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Enjoy.

While one can debate the pros and cons of AI and the long-term effects on the human race, we agree that there is a need for guidelines and tempered expectations. The truth is, from my perspective, that AI is a beneficial tool, but in the hands of most people, becomes a shortcut to an outcome and will eventually be used for unscrupulous purposes.

Humans are inherently lazy and I am no exception. I have to force myself to do the work to to become better each day. I believe it is a God-given desire inside of me, but I still have to fight the natural urge toward inaction. Also, I don’t believe most people are evil, there are bad people who will prey on others without remorse and AI will make that more prevalent.

That being said, there are wonderful opportunities for AI to improve our lives yet destroy our lives… maybe simultaneously. Creativity is the birthright of humanity and it will be so easy for us to give it away to AI in such a way that it is lost to antiquity. At that point, the human “being” is lost. Without purpose, Man cannot exist. In the words of Viktor Frankl, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” This is where we must learn to live, because the machine has risen.

We Can’t Ignore the Danger. We Must Conquer It. -Optimus Prime

We have said numerous times, we are just one breakthrough away (maybe several) from solving the entire clean energy problem for the entire globe. On a smaller, yet related, scale, we are one breakthrough away from higher performance, more efficient electric vehicles with longer ranges and faster charging times.

Currently in Korea at the Pohang University of Science & Technology and at Purdue University here in the U.S., researchers have unlocked 3000 mile battery technology in two different forms.

First, researchers at Pohang, have discovered a way to make battery anodes (where the energy is stored) that hold 10X more charge by using silicon instead of graphite. Using silicon has long been a sought after technology, but until now, the silicon would expand making it unusable. But now, that problem seems to be solved and the potential 3K mile battery is officially a thing.

For me, being the inquisitive person I am, my first question is how long would it take this thing to charge and how many cycles will it last? Okay, technically that’s two questions, but the idea remains. I am assuming, since motors have not improved on efficiency, that this 3K miles would come from a 1000 kWh battery at roughly 3mi/kWh which is what we see from current technology. Charging a battery that size would take a minute… or two.

At 150 kW DCFC, this battery from dead to fully charge would take almost 7 hours. At home, you’re looking at 4 days… just sayin’. That’s how the math works.

Meanwhile, half way around the world, professors and students have built a flow battery that lasts for potentially 3000 miles as well and works more like a traditional “gasoline model”. A flow battery works by using an electrolyte to erode the anode of the battery, freeing those ever-necessary electrons to pass through the electric motor on their way to the cathode. The electrolyte is only good for about 300 mile, but is easily and quickly pumped out of the fuel cell and replaced. The electrolyte is water-based and is recyclable.

At some point though, the anode is used up… But not to worry, it can be replaced as cheaply and easily as your traditional oil change. Now we have an EV that isn’t much different from a traditional ICE model in the way it is refueled. How cool is that?

Either way, both of these technologies are a ways away from making it to market, but it does demonstrate that a lot of smart people are using their intellect for good and not evil. Keep up the good work!

car·math·e·ma /car MATH amuh/ noun The reluctance of people to do basic math regarding EV ownership (which is anathema to me).

Kentucky now has an EV tax in place supposedly to offset waning revenue from the 26 cent per gallon gasoline tax.  A spokesman for EvolveKY, an EV advocacy group headquartered in Louisville, said that he was not surprised and that “it needed to come. We need to pay our fair share.”  The fee is $120 and will be paid when the car is registered every year (another tax).  There is also a 3 cent per kWh tax on public charging to be collected by the station owner and paid to the state monthly.

Make no mistake, any EV owner in Kentucky knew this was an eventuality, but this prompted me to question what exactly is a “fair share”?  Turns out that if you do a little math, a flat tax on an EV is comparing apples to oranges with regards to the traditional  “use more, pay more” model of the standard gas tax.  

A fundamental difference is that the gas tax is “hidden” in the price of a gallon of gasoline.  The EV tax smacks you in the face when you renew your tags.  

Would traditional drivers change their driving habits if they had to pay their taxes in one lump sum  the way EV drivers are now being  asked  required to?

After examination, I think the way we assess these taxes is inherently flawed, but in reality it all comes down to choice.  A Suburban driver is taxed more than a Subaru driver based on fuel efficiency alone, but what you drive is a choice.  Toyota Tundra owners know driving a truck is more expensive than driving a Camry. It’s a choice they make based on what they value. I believe it’s worth $120 a year to drive an EV, but that’s my choice.  

In my opinion, there is room for improvement for the entire system, but try to find a lawmaker that wants to do the math. The bottom line is that taxes are inevitable, but calling it “fair” is a bit of a stretch.  

Let us know what you think?

In mid-January, our part of the world experienced heavy snow (more than usual anyway) followed by bitter cold. This was true for most of the eastern part of the U.S. and we were greeted by several news stories where Tesla drivers were having trouble charging. Either the car wouldn’t charge or it took extraordinarily long.

To say the least, the tone for most of these was “See? EVs SUCK!”

We try to educate, mostly ourselves, but sometimes it bleeds over to you, our loyal listeners. So, let’s discuss what’s going on and what we can do about it.

Join us as we cruise around town on a rainy day and do bad impressions of Jerry Seinfeld.

It occurs to us that despite the long wait, people are still intrigued by the unusual utility vehicle and new excitement is brewing. In this episode, Brent wanted to dig into the specifics of the three models that are or will become available as orders are filled. He also wanted to discuss how ordering a vehicle without a test drive works and about what one should be concerned.

All-in-all, we think the Cybertruck is going to breathe new life into the EV conversation that has been dwindling with manufacturer cutbacks, higher interest rates, and a country/world that seems to get more politically divided each day, where electric vehicles have become associated with a hot-button dogwhistle to both sides.

Let us know what you think. Email us or leave a comment.

First, I found myself in a conference where a very influential member of a major utility organization proceeded to dismantle the improvements to the industry that EVs represent. Some of it I agreed with, like saying on-peak charging will bankrupt utilities, but he was still promoting the idea that EVs are inherently more “dirty” than fossil fuel vehicles. I’ve read the studies. I believe they are “cleaner” to operate overall, but you have to trace the reports back to their origin (who paid for it) to find hidden biases in the conclusions. But I digress.

Next, I am bombarded by articles where Ford is slowing down production of F150 Lightning pickups, pausing the construction of battery plants, and furloughing workers at their EV facilities despite the fact interest in electric vehicles is growing. General Motors, in like fashion, is throttling back on their production and pushing current sales goals into 2025.

Rationally, though, all of these moves make sense. Ford is claiming a $4.8. billion loss in their EV division because of softening sales, supply issues, and general uncertainty about rapidly changing world dynamics. Ford is also investing billions in new facilities and killing of ICE nameplates to make room for new EV models, proving they are still optimistic about the future of EVs. GM finds itself in the same situation: trying to maximize capital to sustain longevity of the brand. Even Tesla is announcing disappointing Q3 sales– down 20%.

The economy and higher interest rates that have slowed EV sales. Factor in that EVs are still slightly more expensive than their gasoline counterparts and we understand the pause. However, sometimes, it’s good to pause, assess the situation, so that you can push ahead again, even harder, tomorrow.

All in all, the EV industry is doing well and is gaining more acceptance every day. Things are cyclical and this too shall pass. Keep the faith.

Admittedly, I’m a bit of a conspiracy theorist only because so many theories have been proven as fact, so my default attitude is distrust and I am looking for ulterior motives especially when it comes to government activity. (I still have no idea who killed JFK, but I do have my suspicions). When the accompanying map showing the location of the projects was unveiled, I immediately began to question why the most rural parts of the state were being overlooked for infrastructure projects, even though I see more EVs on the road in my area daily. I settled on three possible causes: population density, median household income and political ideology. In this episode, we compare rural America and Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) states in regards to these causes.

By the U.S. Census Bureau defintion, I don’t live in a rural area as there are more than 2,500 people in the region, BUT I do live in “small-town America” (STA). The population of Laurel County, where Brent and I live, is 62,000+ and we claim the original KFC although its in the next town down. There are fewer potential EV owners here than many “towns”, much less cities, in other states.

The mean annual income is less than a base model Tesla Model 3, another reason not to target this area. Financing over 72 months would require the populous to spend 20% of their pre-tax income on a vehicle. It’s a tough task given the fact that EVs are still proving themselves as a viable alternative, part of which is due to the next reason, political ideology.

Rural America is much more conservative than all of the ZEV states and this is demonstrated by any Red State/Blue State map. We’ve said all along, the environmental movement, including the promotion of electric vehicles, is deemed a Liberal idea and is quickly met with opposition “in these parts.” I think this is stupidity on display, but it is still an obstacle to EV adoption in STA.

Rural Americans deserve the benefits that EVs offer, but I have to remind myself that we are still in the infancy of this movement. Improved infrastructure in STA will come with time. Enjoy our discussion and let us know your thoughts.

Elon Musk and his engineers did not invent the electric car. Steve Jobs and his engineers did not invent the cellular telephone. So why are Tesla and iPhone synonymous with EVs and cell phones? They’re not the only manufacturers, right?

I think the biggest reason that these two companies have such a market share is not because they were the first, but because they reimagined what existed, packaged it elegantly, made it exciting through innovation, and controlled the user experience. There you have it, the billion dollar formula to revolutionize any market you are in.

There are a lot of comparisons to be made between the two individuals and the two companies, but does that mean they will always be on top? Of course not, these two companies have maintained their positions by reinventing their products and updating them frequently. They are also responsible of making all of their competitors, including Samsung and *sigh* Chevrolet better. Granted, the competitors are playing catchup, but if Apple or Tesla get lazy or takes their eye off the ball, then they are one good idea from being obsolete.

For now, let Tesla lead the way. They’ve earned the right. If one day Ford, Chevy or some yet to be born upstart becomes the number one EV brand it the world, so be it. They will have to earn their place and right now that place is occupied by Tesla.

Tesla is not necessarily that much better, but they have been fully committed to the EV game longer than anyone else and that is why they are just that far ahead.

For the record, Chevy is much better at pickup trucks than Tesla… for now.

That pretty much sums up this entire episode in three words. As we resume our discussion of the road trip recently taken by the Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, the author of the NPR article, Camila Domonoske, makes her arguments for why non-Tesla EVs have a “road trip problem”.

First, she sees planning a road trip as cumbersome. Second, there is a lack of infrastructure, which contributes to the first point. Third, the chargers are not fast enough. And finally, the charging infrastructure is unreliable.

She’s not wrong, but there are several things to consider. We are in the infancy of EV adoption. It seems like we are farther along, but realistically, we are just a toddler attempting the first steps of a marathon long course. JD Powers says that worry about public charging is the number one reason people are hesitant to change to electric. It is a concern, but remember 90% of charging is done at home.

But Ms. Domonoske’s points are valid. We want to go when we want to go and we don’t want anything to slow us down. Look at it this way, walking requires rest breaks, horses need water, cars need to refuel, and EVs will need to charge. As technology advances, this argument will become smaller and smaller, but all forms of travel require us to interrupt our journey at some point. There aren’t enough fast, reliable charging ports available, but that is why there is such a push to build the infrastructure to support a mass fleet of EVs.

The bottom line is this is a process and it requires patience. “Patience is when you’re supposed to be mad, but you choose to understand.” I don’t know who said it, but no truer words have been spoken.

Okay, those are the facts of the story and in this episode, we look at what happened. Basically an over-zealous staffer thought he would do Mrs. Granholm a favor and save a charging port for her by ICE-ing out other people waiting to charge. For us, though, the bigger story is a statement made by the reporter, Camila Domonoske; “EVs that aren’t Teslas have a road trip problem…” This is the setup for a longer exploration of this question on the next episode. Ms. Domonoske makes some valid points and offers topics for consideration.

On a side note, Brietbart had a very different take on the story. In fact, after we recorded, they had three articles by three different people on the same story. None of them were positive toward EVs, once again proving that EVs are very political and have become a hot-button buzzword to activate the fringes of both sides of the political spectrum. From a common sense perspective, EVs are very practical but there is a long way to go before they become the first choice for consumers without any coercion. We think EVs will stand on their own merit once the infrastructure is in place and people can see how practical they really are.

These things are typically conducted in a less than artful or entertaining way. After I realized the first half didn’t pertain to me, I excused myself and rejoined after the lunch break. Brent ducked out of the second session where the basis of this episode originated.

I found out a new $ .03 per kWh tax on public charging is coming to Kentucky and wondered what that really means for EV drivers in the state. At first glance, it is designed to offset revenue generated by the $ .28.7 per gallon fuel tax, but does it really?

Unfortunately, my first question (one that any American citizen should be asking on any governmental decision) was what partisan political angle may be hidden in the new law. For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume it is born of pure motives. I think it’s a shame that we have to look at everything through this lens, but healthy skepticism toward all sides of the political spectrum and the media at large has been shown necessary. It’s a fact of human nature that people, most often, will find ways to benefit themselves and what they hold sacred, especially those in power.

Setting that aside, my more practical questions are “does this make sense and how will it impact EV adoption?” In reality, I don’t think this will be the big economic windfall law makers are expecting. They really don’t understand the nature of EV ownership and are approaching this with “gas-pump mentality.” Mathematically the logic is sound but in practicality is flawed.

Another piece of information that came out of this meeting was about the recently proposed EPA rules. The EPA is now tasked with sorting through the millions of comments received during the feedback portion of their proposal and must return with a “modified ruling” that then will become law. The rules, regardless, will impact the reliability, safety, and affordability of electricity in America.

How will this impact EV adoption? Only time will tell, but with all legislation by agency, it’s subject to change with each election cycle.

So the basics of the story are as follows: a gentleman in Canada purchased an F-150 Lightning because he wanted to be a “responsible citizen” but was met with unexpected costs upgrading his home’s electrical system and installing two chargers, one at home and one at his workplace. When he took his truck from Winnipeg to Chicago, he experienced several delays, including two charging installations that were inoperable. He was “helpless” to the point he felt like he needed to abandon his truck and rent a vehicle to complete his journey. Those are the facts. We report. You decide.

The color commentary added to the article paints a very different picture. First, the original article failed to point out the dollar amounts were Canadian dollars, but that has since been corrected. At the time of this writing, $1 CDN is roughly $0.75 US. The currency denominations, in our opinion, were intentionally hidden to make the cost look inflated. The gentleman spent $115,000 CDN for a standard range F-150. That is a lot different than saying $85,000 US. (We agree it’s still a lot for a truck, but come on, we see what you did.)

The article also states that the vehicle “compelled” him to install two chargers at a cost of $10,000 CDN and he had to spend another $6,000 CDN to upgrade his home’s wiring. The article then continues to tell the story of his trip. In one instance, the article says the gentleman spent $56 and two hours of his time to charge the vehicle from 10% to 90%. (Again, we don’t feel like this tells an accurate story and the problem lies within his charging network.) He attempted to charge at two other locations during the trip but both stations were inoperable. I could go on, but the article is full of opinions expressed as fact and inconsequential information designed to make the owner look like a victim.

Look, we were probably too hard on this poor guy and certainly didn’t adhere to the whole “judge not” way of living, but I can tell you a few things about him from this article.

1. He does not subscribe to the EV Diaries. If he had, he would have checked his electrical box and expected that cost. We can’t say it enough.
2. He may have went with a less expensive charger. My JuiceBox 40 was $500 on Amazon. He apparently paid almost $4,000 for two. I expect he got two 90A EVSEs from Ford, which is unnecessary for a standard range pickup.
3. He didn’t understand his network. Some chargers are set up to share the available power instead of providing the rating on the signage if more than one EV is present. Also, others charge for time plugged up and not for the energy delivered.
4. My biggest problem with this story is that the owner never takes responsibility for his actions. Whether the words are his, or Fox Business led him in his statements, the owner blamed the truck, Ford and the government for what he thinks was misinformation. Basically he was duped into buying the truck and it was everyone else’s fault he had such a hard time.

Honestly, I feel sorry for the guy but his experience came directly from his decisions. He didn’t do his homework. He failed to plan and as a result planned to fail. True- the fact the chargers were not operational was beyond his control, but there may have been other options. We are still early in EV adoption. There are going to be hiccups and things to learn. It’s part of it. What I don’t feel sorry about is his need to basically slander EVs and to not take ownership of his own life. That might be the first step to owning an EV.

After much thought, the answers to such a question are varied. Perhaps the idea of being an early adopter (yes, it’s still early) seems daunting and you want to see what other people do. Or, maybe, there’s too many things to consider and staying with gasoline or diesel seems the easiest route. It could be you have a tinfoil hat and EVs are just a government conspiracy to control where we go and what we do by forcing us into them and then limiting the energy to use them. (You’re not alone.) Conceivably, you’re not comfortable with change or what it may bring with it. Whatever the reason, it all boils down to FEAR; fear of being first, fear of the unknown, and fear of making a mistake. Sometimes fear is justified, but most often it’s not. It’s an internal dialogue you have with yourself that can blow things out of proportion and cloud your judgement.

I’ve found, as it is often expressed, that the best way to overcome fear is to take action. I’m not saying you should face your concerns by going out and buying a Tesla, but you can start doing research on one. You can investigate available charging networks in your area or talk to your EV owning co-worker. Identify your concern, clearly assess the situation and look at the evidence. I promise you that you are not the first EV owner and seldom is adopting one going to prove fatal. You can always go back to ICE… for now, but that’s another topic for another day.

EVs are coming because change is coming. You can let the change happen or you can control the change. For us the answer is “There is no reason not to change. Bring it on!”

BMW has 10 years of experience in the EV market place. They also have a history of redesigning their iconic grill to resounding love/hate responses from the brand loyalists. The all electric iX is no exception. Claiming that the predominant grill was inspired by “beaver teeth”, the new design met some resistance. Factor into the fact that BMW took to twitter with “OK, Boomer. And what’s your reason not to change?” to invite potential customers to view the marketing copy on BMW’s website. To say the least, it did not go over well.

The result was some hilarious responses, but mostly it was a lot of angry tweets about the ageism and BMW back-peddling, but offering no real apology. Either way, we think it is a good question to explore and will be a topic for future discussion. For now, enjoy the story and some of the tweets as we look at the article from Autoweek.com.

Who knew social media could be so divisive?

Ben and Brent discuss their impressions and take aways from the event.

In a previous episode, we talked about how Ferrari, a direct competitor to Lamborghini, has no plans of pursuing EVs at this time. Without being mandated, Lamborghini is banking on a market for an $890K plug-in hybrid as a first step in electrification. Will it be accepted?

Brent surprised me (Ben) with this article and the episode is my reaction. I definitely want to do more research on this topic because the idea of high performance hyper-cars is intriguing, but for goodness sake, can we stop saying “Lambo”?

Five or six years ago when I (Ben) began educating myself on EVs, I was part of a focus group organized to chart the future of EV adoption and to craft policies for the cooperatives in Kentucky. The group hosted several members from the nearby Toyota plant in Georgetown, KY who shared (what they could) about what Toyota had in development. At the time, we were told that Toyota was spending BILLIONS on hydrogen fuel-cell technology. Chuckling under my breath, I dismissed the idea because Tesla was becoming the rage and upstarts like Lucid and Polestar were promising new and exciting things.

I am seldom wrong, but Toyota MAY be proving my dismissal a misjudgment. Recently Toyota debuted the Toyota Corolla Cross H2, a hydrogen fuel-cell… INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE car.

WAIT? WHAT? Hydrogen ICE?

With the benefits of range and rapid refueling, will this be a viable replacement for fossil fuel powered transportation and take the place of electric vehicles? Only time will tell, but in home entertainment, we went from VHS to DVD to Netflix. Is this new motor the DVD or the streaming service of the vehicle world? Or is this just the VHS/BetaMax fight waiting for a victor to emerge? (Look it up kids.) Obviously, the gasoline/diesel engines of the past being replaced, but what technology will become the new tradition?

Like him or hate him, we wouldn’t be as far along as we are if not for Elon. Now, he’s offering his patents like open source code for all who wish to participate in advancing EVs, but will the other manufacturers get on board or will ego stand in the way of progress?

The automotive industry has standardized many things in the name of safety and service. Many things, like spark plugs, are interchangeable between manufacturers, most supplied by third-party manufacturers supplying the industry. Many things are still proprietary. Why not make batteries interchangeable and boost EV adoption through something easily replaceable?

Battery exchange isn’t necessarily a new idea, but now Ample is working on proof of concept. We think this could be a great way to remove barriers of entry and many concerns people have about EVs. What do you think?

Abruptly, the DOE pulled funding when some congressional Republicans questioned some “improper ties to China”. Now Kentucky is holding off on the tax incentives until Microvast can explain why the DOE acted so quickly.

Our question is: In this global economy, what exactly is an improper tie to China? The US economy and the Chinese economy are so intertwined, how could you tell? This is an American company, founded by an American whose name just happens to be Yang Wu.

Is this really about China or is it posturing against all things Democrat of which EVs seem to be a part?

Again, the (R)EV Diaries feel that EVs are neither Right nor Left and can stand on their own merit. We also think the more companies making batteries, the cheaper they will become, but more importantly, improvements in battery technology will happen faster because more people will be working to solve the current problems and limitation of current batteries.

If I told you the Hummer EV was less efficient and produced more greenhouse emissions than a gasoline powered Chevy Malibu, would you be surprised?

Today, we look at what probably started out as a cautionary tale that all EVs are not created equally, but that should come as no surprise. There is no equality between internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles either. So how is this even a story?

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) posted a report showing that the Hummer EV produced more CO2 per mile than a Chevy Malibu when charged on a “dirty grid” with the headline: 9,000-Pound Electric Hummer Shows We Can’t Ignore Efficiency of EVs. Motor1.com took the same report and offered this headline: New Hummer EV Produces More Emissions Than A Gas Powered Sedan. We follow this up six months later with: Biden is touting giant EVs. Are they actually good for the planet?

Same report. Same story. But the headlines paint a different picture. In our opinion, it seems one is pointing out not all EVs are helping climate change. One is just an attention grabber. And one is supporting a narrative… sort of.

Due diligence is required to navigate any content published these days. This assumes that one makes it past the headline and reads the article. Most people just form an opinion based on the headline and the first few paragraphs but one has to ask, “Does it make sense? What are the motives of the creator? How does this fit my world-view?”

Enjoy and let us know what you think.

It sounds to us like Tesco is WalMart with a British accent and we know WalMart hosts several ElectrifyAmerica locations… but they are by no means FREE. Should they be?

Seriously, if WalMart is dedicated to the environment, should we expect free charging? Subsidized charging? How about Volkswagen? IKEA, North America? The US Government?

In America, we have a 1 TRILLION dollar infrastructure spending bill in place with $7.5 BILLION set for public charging. The question is, who is paying for this and who SHOULD be paying for this?

You know we are just guys talking, but let us set aside the mandates and the climate for a moment and discuss the role corporate America should play, the government should play , and each of us will play as EV adoption increases. Enjoy part one of our discussion.

What do you think?

Today, we take on a report of a West Virginia candidate that is anti-EV because he is anti-EPA and anti-Biden administration. Of course, he is just trying to “rile up” his base, but it is a prime example of something neutral, like EV’s, being turned into a political football in rural America.

We find it sad that this is the case, but it’s not just EVs; it is just symptomatic of a bigger issue: people’s inability to apply critical thinking in all situations. Some people are content to let someone else tell them what they think, regardless of whether it makes sense or not. The emperor has no clothes.

This is a two part episode. We try not to be too political, but it sort of turns into an indictment of the entire American political system. We split it up because the discussion (and it was a good one) went on for over an hour.

If this is not your cup of tea, next week we plan to release BOTH the continuance of this episode and an entirely new topic.

And by no means are we telling you how to think. We’re just offering food for thought.

There is a YouTube channel called Jetters Garage and our attention was directed to a video entitled “Ford Watched My Viral Lightning Video – Amazing What They Said” which was a follow up to a video entitled “Why I regret buying a Ford Lightning! (EV Electric Truck)“. Jet is not new to EVs, having owned a Tesla Model S for seven years in San Diego, California.

That is a click-bait title if ever I’ve seen one, and I admittedly fall for click-bait often, but I was intrigued and started with the first video. Jet outlines the pros and cons of his new 2023 F-150 Lightning in the video and reveals his experience on a recent road trip. (At the time of this post, the video is 2 months old with 571K views.) His observations are interesting, yet not unexpected, regarding a newly introduced car model. These videos are must-see if you’re considering purchasing an F-150 Lightning.

This brings us to our discussion of his videos and his experience in general. Brent and Ben discuss some of their perceptions of living in southeastern Kentucky (SeKY) versus SoCal. We talk ownership, charging in public, and electric rates, including time of use (TOU) and why it makes sense there and not here.

Does Jet’s experience differ greatly from someone in small-town America? Listen to our opinion and feel free to weigh in with your own.

PS: Link to third video.

On the TV series Saved By The Bell, Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) used a Motorola DynaTAC, which was the first commercially available mobile phone circa 1984. This “brick” was literally 10-inches long not counting its rubber antenna, weighed 2.5 lbs., and cost $4000. Back then, you would have been crazy to have suggested in 30 years that almost everyone in the world would have a mobile phone in their pocket. The idea was inconceivable.

Are we on the precipice of such a change with EVs? It’s difficult to imagine 3 out of every 10 cars on the road being electric, much less 7 or 8 out of 10. There are forces at work to push 100% adoption, but will we ever get there? Just as the iPhone revolutionized the industry, what will make EVs as common as cell phones?

Also, RECs calculations on the cost to drive an EV support our own (R)EVD conclusions, but we could have told you we were right… we just don’t like to brag.

The solution is to revitalize and strengthen, harden, if you will, the grid to meet the growing need, but that, of course, takes money and resources. The question becomes, “Who is going to pay for it?” The real answer is you, me and all the other peoples of this land. Whether it’s via government through taxes or via utilities through increased energy rates, I guarantee we are going to pay for it.

That being said, we look at scenarios that Rappahannock put forth and the cost associated with each.

We also find out that Ben, sometimes… but rarely, gets confused and the senility kicks in. The real question is, “what point should we be concerned?”

*Rappahannock Electric Cooperative lies in the northern and eastern part of Virginia serving 170,000+ members. Being a cooperative of that size, REC is influential in the co-op world because of not only their size, but by their proximity to industry organizations like the NRECA and policy makers like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the US Department of Energy. This has allowed them to become a proving ground for many programs, leading the way in innovation and understanding for other cooperatives, and shaping the approach to challenges in the industry. As such, REC releases many reports, studies, and presentations showing their results both independently and jointly with other organizations.

Charging at Level 2 at 80A may require some serious upgrades to, not only, your service entrance but possibly the transformer on the utilities side of the equation. Hopefully it won’t, but it’s worth having a conversation with your utility and a qualified electrician before driving off the lot.

We want your EV experience to be positive, so we’re just pointing out pitfalls. There are significant cost benefits to EV ownership and upgrades will pay for themselves in time, but it pays to understand and plan instead of presume and react.

For the record, the “S” in EVSE stands for Supply. (Duh… big red truck.)

*Rappahannock Electric Cooperative lies in the northern and eastern part of Virginia serving 170,000+ members. Being a cooperative of that size, REC is influential in the co-op world because of not only their size, but by their proximity to industry organizations like the NRECA and policy makers like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the US Department of Energy. This has allowed them to become a proving ground for many programs, leading the way in innovation and understanding for other cooperatives, and shaping the approach to challenges in the industry. As such, REC releases many reports, studies, and presentations showing their results both independently and jointly with other organizations.

Working for an electric co-op, Brent and Ben have access to reports, studies and presentations designed for industry personnel. Brent sat through a presentation by Rappahannock Electric Cooperative* showcasing their perception of the problem they face and what their system may look like in 2023. REC also forecasts what some of these changes might cost.

Of course for the (rural) EV Diaries crew, this raised even more considerations and questions. Join us for an overview of Rappahannock’s discovery and what implications it has on the consumption and overall requirement for the electric grid.

*Rappahannock Electric Cooperative lies in the northern and eastern part of Virginia serving 170,000+ members. Being a cooperative of that size, REC is influential in the co-op world because of not only their size, but by their proximity to industry organizations like the NRECA and policy makers like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the US Department of Energy. This has allowed them to become a proving ground for many programs, leading the way in innovation and understanding for other cooperatives, and shaping the approach to challenges in the industry. As such, REC releases many reports, studies, and presentations showing their results both independently and jointly with other organizations.

This one earns a big gold star.

This one travels really far.

Say! What a lot of EV trucks there are!!!

Wrapping up our three part Taking a Trip discussion. Ben and Brent talk through what it would be like (possibly) to travel 750 miles one way from southeastern Kentucky to Orlando, Florida in an electric vehicle.

Using the published specifications of the base model F 150 Lightning, Ben breaks down the theoretical time and cost it would take to make the trip versus Brent’s actual experience with his Supercharged V6 F 150.

We realize this is not a true comparison because we would have to make the same trip in both vehicles. That being said, even if we are half wrong, we believe this exercise and the results are eye-opening to prove the possibilities of EVs in small-town America.

If nothing else, you can make a drinking game out of the entire series; take a shot every time Ben says “theoretical“.

But can I drive one here or there? Can I drive one anywhere?

You can drive one here or there. You can drive one everywhere.

Can I drive one to the moon? No, not today, it is too soon.

But you can drive them wherever you can go. Planning is key now on to the show.

In this episode, Brent and Ben continue the discussion of what a road trip may look like, specifically knowing what your EV is capable of and it’s efficiency is fundamental in getting you where you want to go. Infrastructure is still key, but the network of charging locations is growing daily and limited availability will be a thing of the past.

but how do they fare, when your small town you do leave?

In this episode (it’s one of three),

we share our experience so you can see…

with a bit of fore thought and the planning you’ll do,

how far you can go is really up to you.

Ben and Brent discuss Ben’s experience going further than the BMW I3’s 90 mile range; what it involved and how it played out.

So, how does he do it?

How can a small battery pack get him to and fro every day?

Could it work for you?

In this episode, Brent questions Ben on his day-to-day activity with owning an electric vehicle in rural America. Sit back and enjoy.

In this episode, we look at Brent’s list of pros and cons just to see where his mindset is on the issue of EV ownership. (Apparently, Ben is biased.)

 People, especially in small-town America, really want to know what they’re getting themselves into and aren’t into all of the “flashy” hype surrounding EVs.  

Are you one of these people?

Do you want to cut through the BS?

That’s why we’re here. Please listen and enjoy.

It’s been a year and a half+ since the EV Diaries went dark, at the time, presumably forever, but like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the podcast is back.

I know, you’re saying to yourself, “Oh My God! WHY?… Why now, anyway? Why ever?” Well, around these parts, there is still a lot of confusion, apprehension, and disinterest in electric vehicles and the Rural EV Diaries is re-focusing on its original mission of educating our friends and neighbors to the possibilities and opportunities that EVs offer.

So, sit back, relax, and buckle up as we explore EVs in small-town America.

Short answer, no with a but…

It’s a step in the right direction and it has potential.

Today, I talk more about the grid and what’s going on… It’s like 2020 never went away.