News Coulomb is a channel devoted to providing first-hand accounts of life with renewable energy technologies. My goal is to provide education on strategies and techniques that will empower people to transition away from non-renewable, unsustainable energy sources and to build self reliance.
From News Coulomb. While I was out shopping and running errands, I decided to take another stab at the I-5 DC fast charging corridor, but this time, I headed north to Redding. I visited a number of charging sites along the way, commenting on what they are doing well and what they can be doing…
From News Coulomb. While shopping, I decided to check on the current statuses for several of my local charging sites along I-5 in Northern California. For the most part, there haven’t been a lot of changes. All the Electrify America sites appeared to have at least one plug working on every dispenser, and a problematic…
From News Coulomb. I just installed my fourth set of tires on my Chevy Bolt EV, and wouldn’t you know it, I went back to the original Michelin Energy Saver A/S. These continue to be the most efficient tire option, and I have no complaints about them overall. The previous Continental Pure Contact started leaking…
From News Coulomb. This is a clip from a recent live stream with Steve @plugandplayEV You can view the entire stream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgXrpWXTQzE&t=34s In this clip, Steve and I discuss our experiences as non-Tesla EV drivers using the Tesla "Magic Dock" Superchargers. I personally have less experience with these Superchargers than Steve because so far,…
From News Coulomb. This is a clip from a recent live stream with Steve @plugandplayEV . You can view the entire stream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgXrpWXTQzE&t=34s In this clip, we are discussing the term "NACS," which is confusing consumers because two different things are happening related to this new standard. The first is that some automakers are…
From News Coulomb. I was able to pick up a new Ryobi riding mower just in time for California to break out of its three-year drought. While these electric riding mowers are expensive for the features relative to a gas powered riding mower, they are cheaper and cleaner to operate. I’ll provide a more detailed…
From News Coulomb.
From News Coulomb. I had a chance to drop by a recent Freewire Boost charging location at the Arco travel plaza in Plumas Lake, CA. The chargers are branded as BP Pulse, and the payment network is managed through EV Connect. The location provides a number of amenities, including a convenience store, air pump, squeegees,…
From News Coulomb. This was recorded prior to Ford and GM’s announcement to adopt Tesla’s NACS plug, but the points I was making here appear to withstood the test of time. Now, Ford and GM’s motivations for adopting Tesla’s standard seem to be very different, and I’ll dive into in more detail in a future…
From News Coulomb. I wanted to share one of the more interesting charging sites that I’ve used recently. This site is actually a L1 AC charging site: Four 120 V @ 20 A circuits with up to 8 active plugs (when charging at 8 A). While sites like this are less useful than they were…
From News Coulomb. I was finally able to complete my charging site review of a Tesla Supercharger. This location is in Placerville, California, just off of Highway 50. This Supercharger is located in a large strip mall, which hosts a number of retail stores. The site features eight V3 Superchargers; however, all of the stalls…
From News Coulomb. While I was installing a set of LED headlights to replace the 20+ year old halogen headlights in my Ford Ranger Electric, I thought I would discuss just how much range an EV can gain by using LED instead of halogen headlights. The numbers might surprise some people, especially given the overall…
From News Coulomb. When discussing the various charging providers, I think it’s important to consider defining the various "levels" of charging providers and what those levels mean. To start laying that framework, I believe the following definitions would be a good starting point: Level 1: A charging provider that offers billing and connectivity only. The…
From News Coulomb. I took the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV to the closest open Tesla Supercharger in Placerville, California to see how it all worked. I used this as an opportunity to test out Super Cruise availability and functionality on various rural and connecting highways.
From News Coulomb. I recently picked up a 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Redline for review, and I couldn’t help myself. I hopped right onto the freeway in the middle of a heavy rainstorm to see how the system would fare. So far, I think Super Cruise is doing great, though I’m not sure that I…
From News Coulomb. As we begin to discuss more topics related to the public charging infrastructure, I feel that we need to start adding a bit more depth to definitions and terms that we are using. A "public charging provider" seems reasonably easy to define because all that is required is that the charging provider…
From News Coulomb. @KyleConner recently visited San Luis Obispo, California while traveling in a CCS EV, and he was concerned with the disparity in DC fast charging options between Tesla’s Superchargers and the public providers. I personally have a long history with charging in San Luis Obispo, and in fact, the EVgo charger that Kyle…
From News Coulomb. I frequently peruse PlugShare to keep tabs on sites I’ve visited or might one day want to use, but I’ve noticed that a number of the early sites that I used to rely on for travel in my Chevrolet Bolt EV are no longer listed. For some, I saw references to the…
From News Coulomb. Tell us how you really feel, Eric. Well… I don’t personally use EV trip planners (route planners as they are sometimes called), and I think that in their current form, they are largely unnecessary. Most require the driver to know enough about their car and their route that the trip planner itself…
From News Coulomb. I’m still processing timber I gathered from the National Forest, and I realized that one of my Greenworks batteries is nearly 8 years old. I see a lot of people who are under the impression that lithium batteries simply die and are of no actual use after just a few years, so…
From News Coulomb. I’ve been seeing more and more comments by auto journalists recently claiming that EVs need to charge as fast as they possibly can. They are essentially making the claim that slower charging EVs shouldn’t exist. In my opinion, this is wrong. All of the collected data we have shows that most Americans…
From News Coulomb.
From News Coulomb. In a recent video, Kyle @OutofSpecReviews interviewed Arcady, CEO and Founder of Freewire, and I wanted to respond to a point that they made during the video. According to Arcady, Freewire’s business model is to install a single charger and expand in response to demand. The problem with that model, in my…
From News Coulomb. So after six years, it finally happened. My Chevrolet Bolt EV’s battery died. These batteries will typically last about three years, so this battery exceeded its lifespan by nearly double. Last year, I also replaced the 12 V AGM on my Chevrolet Volt, and it was a similar age. It’s possible that…
From News Coulomb. While doing a quick local shopping trip in my Bolt EV, I loaded up Torque Pro to get some additional readings. During the trip, I also comment on and check out some of the public charging infrastructure in Northern California. Charging sites used in this video: ChargePoint, Vittles Family Restaurant, Anderson: https://www.plugshare.com/location/197381
From News Coulomb. This video is the final leg of my trip back from the LA Auto Show. For this route, I decided to return through the Eastern Sierras, with temperatures down into the low teens. Because I started early in the day and high in elevation, it was a fairly relaxed return home, so…
From News Coulomb. On a recent trip, I was able to use the recently updated Electrify America site in Baker, California. This site ticks off all the boxes. It is located at a convenience store travel stop, and it has both full, pull-through parking and a complete solar canopy. The site features 12 BTC Power…
From News Coulomb. After the LA Auto Show, I started making my way home, but I decided to explore a bit of Southern California on the way back. A lot has changed with the public charging infrastructure, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to see what changed while I try to help my Bolt…
From News Coulomb. On a recent trip down to the LA Auto Show, I had the chance to do a 10% to 80% charging test in my Chevrolet Bolt EV. I also include some tips for why I charge in a particular way and how it can influence the overall charging times. Charger used in…