Featured Threads Archive
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Edmunds on Honda hybrid vs Prius
Caution, the presenter offends my Southern sensibilities which curiously makes both cars seem better:
I am not tempted but in the world of hybrids, fair enough. She does a good job covering the options for those in the market.
Bob Wilson -
Munro and advanced manufacturing
The best part is no part:
Bob Wilson -
Toyota chairman says millions of jobs will be lost via EV Future
Wonder why he didn't worry about that issue a decade ago - rather than wait until they (& a couple other auto manufacturers) are in last place with EV's. If you build it (& it's ½ way decent) they will come.
Toyota Chairman Predicts EV-Only Future Will Destroy Millions Of Jobs | Carscoops
So - if regenerative breaking slows down brake pad manufacturing , oh well. Why can't ICE manufacturers build more electric motors & battery plants instead of turbos and V6's.
I wonder if his ancestors shed tears when sword makers & blacksmiths lost tons of business. -
Hybrids Hard On Engines
Don't skimp on oils and oil changes.
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$1 Billion G'vmt loan to EVgo for charging infrastructure
Ah yes - the government is best to pick a winner. LOL
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/evgo-nears-1-billion-govt-loan-to-take-on-tesla-s-charging-empire/ar-AA1rEVik
The stops we've made at evgo (either for DC or L2) have always been WAY overpriced per kWh, as well as less reliable compared to superchargers. Even so - . I'm sure the motive to prop up evgo is rational, under the notion of creating competition
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We, Robot
For those that missed it last night, here's the link. It starts about 53 minutes in, if you don't want to watch the light show.
For those that don't know, this is about Tesla's latest upcoming tech and vehicles.
We, Robot - YouTube -
Bidirection Charging Coming to California?
The State of California is mulling over the idea of requiring EVs to be bidirectional. That is, if the system needs power they suck it right back out of your car. The practical considerations would be considerable, and I don't know if the state is actually competent to design or create such a program. Certainly my state couldn't do it.
Bidirectional charging may be required on EVs soon due to new CA law | Electrek
Bill Text - SB-1006 Electricity: transmission capacity: reconductoring and grid-enhancing technologies.
PS:
The law appears to have shifted over into SB 59. -
North American Charging Standard?
Is there any news about Toyota implementing NACS for any 2025 models?
It would be a big surprise if the 2025 Prius becomes first out of the box. -
Prius Prime Name Change for Model Year 2025 to be known as Prius Plug-in Hybrid
2025 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid - Toyota USA Newsroom
No new stuff just rebadging for the 2025 Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) so now it'll have the PHEV logo on the back instead of the Prime. No pricing has been announced as of yet but the 2025 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid saw an $175 price increase. No manufacturing date has been announced but I'm assuming the 2025s will roll out about March 2025.
MPO, I'm assuming this is to differentiate their powertrains when they eventually switch everything to hybrids as well as make it the same across the globe. -
Hybrid electrics have a place
At 33 minutes, a bit long but tells the tale:
Edison motors makes work trucks for logging and other work. Not finding them on the market, these Canadians built their own. Excellent job!
At the other end of the spectrum, my 2017 BMW i3-REx. Transmissions are so 'old school.'
Bob Wilson -
eBeaver Seaplane
Every now and then, you see a step change:
I know the electric air taxies look awesome but this really piques my interest. One more thing to add to my 'bucket list.'
Bob Wilson -
Three Mile Island May Be Coming Back
Three Mile Island Isn't Dead After All (msn.com)
I wonder if Microsoft will share. -
Tesla Cybertruck's light bar/taillight/brake lights/center high-mounted stop lamp
I saw a Tesla Cybertruck when I was driving yesterday, and I couldn't believe the taillight design. It is potentially violating some DOT regulations. If not, it is barely legal with questionable safety. I thought the center high-mounted stop lamp was supposed to be higher than the other brake lights. Basically, sections of the light bar is turned off during braking so that it looks like the brake lights and a center high-mounted stop lamp.
Tesla Cybertuck brake-light video
Even the Tesla Cybertruck’s brake lights don’t make sense -
IIHS wants more nags
Source: Drivers quickly learn to skirt limits set by partial automation systems
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In the second study, a different group of IIHS and AgeLab researchers examined how the driving behavior of 14 people who had never used Tesla’s Autopilot or any other partial automation system changed over a month of driving a 2020 Tesla Model 3. Unlike the Volvo study, this one focused on how often the drivers triggered the system’s initial attention reminders, escalated warnings and emergency slowdown and lockout procedures.
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In total, the volunteers drove a little more than 12,000 miles with Autopilot engaged. During that time, they triggered 3,858 attention-related warnings from the partial automation system. About half of those alerts occurred when they had at least one hand on the steering wheel... -
Which cars are safe for the other guy?
What to do about America’s killer cars
cites a study of crashes involving two vehicles and a death in which the weight of the two vehicles varied. As we get more EVs we get more weight in a vehicle and while the article doesn't go in depth on the statistics, it does cite weight as killing the person in the lighter car significantly more often than the person in the heavier car. A 1,000 pound weight difference raised the fatality rate 47%. So while you may be safer in that big heavy vehicle, the other person isn't. The weight of the average car has increased from 3,400 to 4,100 pounds 1990 and 2005 and probably more since then with the popularity of SUVs.
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