The (R)EV Diaries - EVs in Rural America Electric Cars - Electric Vehicles

In the last episode, we were in the middle of a conversation with Jason Fee when he needed to attend to some business. We all know what it’s like when Ben breaks his train of thought…

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 Fee has spent his entire life around automobiles. Growing up in Flint, Michigan, Jason naturally found his career in the automotive industry and is now with GM Service.

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.

Many states are taking steps to get ahead of autonomous commercial vehicles that will eventually be part of everyday life. Kentucky, too, is debating a house bill that will set limitations and guidelines for this emerging technology driven by AI .

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

Can you imagine a EV that you could drive across the US, from sea to shining sea, without having to stop and charge? Now, you’ll have time to check out the World’s Largest Ball of Twine and The Grand Canyon simply because you’re not looking for infrastructure and can focus on the world around you. That’s the promise of the coming future.

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!

a·nath·e·ma /əˈnaTHəmə/ noun Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.

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?

We are back. Welcome to 2024. We recorded this episode on January 22 in the middle of a polar vortex. As you can see, it took me (Ben) a while to get it posted. I do apologize and hope to do better. Every day is an adventure, huh?

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.

Today, we have a cool episode. Brent had never been in my BMW i3. He had not driven an EV other than the Chevy Volt belonging to the co-op. We thought it was high time that he experienced something new.

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

After years of waiting, the Tesla Cybertruck is here. The trucks are finally rolling of the production floor and into the garages of the people that made their reservations when it was first unveiled, assuming they still wanted it.

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.

Not going to lie- I’ve been a little discouraged about the EV news lately. Sure, new models are coming out every day. New breakthroughs in battery construction seem just over the horizon, but I have found myself inundated with seemingly bad new.

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.

Last week, Kentucky announced the first round of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure grant recipients. Sixteen projects submitted by six entities are now funded with $10.9 million in tax payer dollars. While I agree this is good for EV promotion and adoption, I was a little dismayed when a map of said projects showed an obvious lack of development east of Interstate 75, allowing eastern Kentucky to remain a public infrastructure wasteland.

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.