Paradigm Shift

I recently had the opportunity to meet with a local freelance writer because of his interest in my electric car.  He wanted to get a feel for the vehicle as a contrast to the only other electric vehicle he'd driven, the Tesla S.  I loaned the vehicle to him for a while and when he returned it, his comments about the car were of interest to me and lead me to some new thoughts.

These experiences led me to realize just how different the electric vehicle is from the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle.  It's not merely the vehicle, but the infrastructure and habits of people who were raised with these ideals. I did not think that I would have a shift in my thinking about how to drive, but that anyone who changes to over to driving electric will need to make this change.

So to explain what I mean, I have created some bullet points below.  These points will make note of the current way of thinking and the new way of thinking with an electric vehicle.

(1) Fueling
     Traditional: Drive until empty, then refuel
      Electric: Refuel at every opportunity

     If you like exclusivity and convenient parking, buy an electric vehicle.  Many businesses are installing charging stations in spaces that are as convenient if not more so than handicapped parking.  And expect to do so wherever you go.  You should expect to be topped off at the start of every leg of your trip.

(2) Range
    Traditional: Unless driving out of town, you never think about the range
     Electric: Every time you drive, you consider the distance and whether there is a charging station at your destination

     Electric vehicle owners are much more conscious of the refueling points and distances that they travel.  However, people who are renting an electric vehicle for the first time, although they are aware of the difference in the drive of the vehicle, are not always aware of the range until they're down to 2 miles remaining.

(3) Speed
    Traditional: You ride the line of the speed limit on every road traveled.
     Electric: You are acutely aware of your speed on freeways, rarely on surface streets.

     It's somewhat common knowledge that ICEs perform well at constant speed. And so, gasoline and diesel cars tend to get better mileage on freeways.  Electric motors have no performance degradation when required to change speeds constantly, but at very high speeds use a great deal more energy.  It's also true that ICEs use a lot of energy at high speeds. And the difference in fuel reserve between electric and petroleum is apparent when this comparison is made.

(4) Cost
    Traditional: You are acutely aware of the cost of fueling and maintaining your vehicle
     Electric: You are proudly aware of the lack of the cost of fueling and maintaining you vehicle.

    And here is the final point, people buy EVs for the cost savings..  The cost of fueling and maintaining an electric car is almost nil by comparison to a traditional vehicle. The monetary costs involved in traditional vehicles have shifted to things that you can control in electric vehicles.   With gasoline and diesel you must pay the market price.  With electricity, you can pay the market price or install solar and set your own rate.

     Traditional vehicles require maintenance, this is still true for electric, but with about 1/10th of the involvement.  EV owners really only think about brakes and tires, and less often than owners of traditional vehicles, because of typically lower speeds and less braking (due to braking regeneration).

Conclusion

    The change of perspective that an EV owner will have is distinct.  It is obvious, but not usually until after driving the EV for some time.  It's not bad, it's just different.  Not everyone is ready for the change and they must come on their own terms and their own time.

   Meanwhile I'll be silently cruising down the road, nearly topped off, looking for my next exclusive parking space, that will refuel my car. ;-)

Charging Ahead

Recently I attended a meeting EV enthusiasts where the panel of speakers covered their remedies for the trouble with "Charge Rage".  There were options for home and business charging.  There were a few options for changing how charging is done, either by splitting the charger or making charging open source. But one of these options stood out as something that I could move forward with immediately.

The first speaker was a representative from NRG Energy, a car charging company.  The speaker, Mehrshad Kouhkan, is a business and marketing agent for the company and had many plans for both consumers and businesses.  One of the plans that is offered by NRG energy helps give Electric Vehicle owners, who own a single family home, a method for installing a charging station for a low monthly fee.

There was a 30% rebate on the purchase and installation of a charging station, that covered up to $1000 of the cost.  Unfortunately, that deal ended at the start of 2014.  But with this opportunity through NRG Energy, I will be able to afford the considerable cost of both the install and charging station.

 The homeowners package includes installation and the price of the charging station.  For nearly $40 per month over the next 36 months (which comes to $1440) plus permits, the cost can be under $2000.

But Why Do you Need a Charging Station at Home?

We're all told that we "need" a charging station at the home.  It's a good question to ask why this is necessary.  There are several reasons for purchasing a charging station.

• Speed

The charging station usually has a higher voltage, like an electric stove or clothes dryer.  These devices pull more current at a higher voltage, therefore getting more power at once. Most home appliances are geared for 120V, but certain ones are set for higher.  An electric car can be set for as much as 440V (or more)

• Convenience:

Most people who own an electric car, change their vehicle at home, in their garage.  If you have the plug right there mounted on the wall, then you can easily connect to it when you arrive home. 

• Efficiency

Most electric cars come with a 120V portable charging station.  This device, although effective, is equivalent to reducing your home water inlet to a straw.  It will allow you to get water, but it will be very slow. But with the proper equipment, not only will the charge be faster, but cleaner and more efficient

• Communication

Electric vehicles are quite on the cutting edge of technology, not merely in the fact that they are efficient, but in their ability to communicate with us.  An EV has an on-board data service that can send information to your smartphone or computer.  But some charging stations can also do this.  A smart charging station can send you updates if the vehicle is done charging or if someone unplugs it.

Minor Issue

I'm grateful to finally be getting the charging station.  But I there is only one minor issue that I wish was more likely (in the US).  Although it's good to get a charging station, the on-board charger is the bottleneck.  It's not actually possible to charge faster than the on-board charger will allow.  So to charge faster, you would have to replace a part in the vehicle.  With the Smart, there's no US option for a DC Fast charger (yet), only in Europe.  But in the near future I hope to see more DC Fast charging station in the US, allowing us Smart ED owners to recharge in < 1 hour .

Elite Car Club

The Smart Car is a scarce car in the United States and the Electric Smart, even more so.  Granted it's utility is best found where parking is slim and distances short.  But those who have never owned or driven a Smart, are unaware of what they are missing.

It takes a certain sort of person to appreciate the utility of the Smart Car.  Although smaller vehicles are quite popular in Europe and Asia, people from the United States aren't so keen on such vehicles.  One of the first questions that I get when I am approached by people, is regarding the capacity.  They want to know how I, a near-2m tall person, fit inside such a small car.  Then they want to know how much space there is for storage of things in the back.  Then the usual about electrics, range, charge time, etc.

What most people seem to miss is that the Smart ForTwo ED has more power than just about any other car comparative to its size. Although as an electric it's not ideal for long journeys, it's perfect for all the short commutes around town that so many people do on a daily basis. But even more so, in-town travel is horrible for internal combustion engine vehicles, whereas an electric thrives.

There is a distinct comradery among the elite few who own a Smart Car, let alone the even more elite fewer who own the Electric Drive.  We are enthusiasts, aficionados of small, efficient vehicles.  Of course anyone can get into this market, the price of the gas ForTwo starts around $12k and the electric around $20k.  But how many people are ready for the fun, the awe, and the passion of driving the smallest production car in the U.S.?

The Smart Elite Car Club may very well stay that way for a long time to come, and in my opinion, that's just fine.  It takes a certain kind of person to appreciate the finer aspects of this group of vehicles and only those who are ready, will find a home in one. Until then, I'll be zooming about, finding all the best compact parking, electric vehicle ONLY spots, and driving one of the most efficient cars on the road (at $0.019 / mile).

The Greenest Car

This week saw the American Counsel for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) announce their findings for the "most Green" vehicles.  And do you want to know who came out on top?  Yes, the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive.  With a Green Score of 59 it bested even the Toyota Prius C (57), Prius (55),  and the Prius Plug-in hybrid (55).

But what does the ACEEE mean by "Greenest" vehicle?  What do they measure and is it all empirical?

The ACEEE takes many factors into consideration when attempting to determine a proper score for any vehicle.  In the past, the average vehicle score for the vehicles that are conducive to cleaner driving, often receive a score around 37.  Where as the "meaner" vehicles, like trucks, SUVs, and vans tends to be closer to 17 on average.  The total score is ranked out of a possible 100 points,

Although most of the Toyota Prius line is in the top 10 Greenest, and the Prius C was the champion last year, a score of 59 has not yet been awarded to any vehicle, until now. This year the rating system has some added changes that may have accounted for the fact that the ED made the top of the list.  Here's the list

• Updates to in-use emissions factors for methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) 
• Changes to the methodology for estimating fuel economy for 2b trucks 
• Updates to evaporative emission estimates 
• Rating vehicles with LEV III tailpipe emission standards 
• Updates to upstream emission factors for gasoline, diesel, and CNG 

The primary concern seems to be tailpipe emissions, but materials used in manufacturing the vehicle are also considered.  If you read the comments on the blogs that have reported on this announcement, you may have noticed the dire skepticism and regular arguments that continue to pop-up.  The ACEEE address these issues directly in each vehicle.

Although no vehicle has crested 60 out of a possible 100 on the ACEEE index, it's clearly important to note that whatever Smart is doing in the construction and endgame for the ED, it is good.  I will definitely toot the horn of my Smart ED in saying that it's not just environmentally safe, but also the most affordable battery electric vehicle available in the US.