Five years ago, there weren’t many good electric vehicle options on the market in the US. Today, there are dozens. You no longer have to buy a Tesla to get an electric car with good range, truly fast charging, and good tech and features at a decent price. You can … [continued]
If you drive an electric vehicle that’s not a Tesla, then you have experienced the tension that comes with leaving home for trips and wondering if there will be a charger on your route. We know that there is no retail category where a driver can be confident that an … [continued]
A Google Maps update now allows EV drivers to search for fast chargers when planning a road trip away from home.
To take a bite out of transportation energy use and emissions and combat climate change, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is partnering with Google to develop more eco-friendly routing in Google Maps. “Google approached us after learning about our sustainable mobility research and transportation energy analysis capabilities,” said Jeff … [continued]
For cars equipped with Android Automotive, Google has added a new feature to Maps that helps drivers plan their route while on trips, which can reduce range anxiety.
Google Maps has gotten smarter with regards to electric vehicles than I ever thought possible. The Android Auto version of Google Maps now has some special features for electric vehicles to squash any concern. (Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, the phone app is still much more limited — since it doesn’t know what car you’re driving and isn’t tied into the car’s powertrain.)
Electric vehicle (EV) batteries and charging may not be as exciting as robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles, there’s been a variety of fun news about these matters that should help to further raise awareness and get people to switch to EVs.
This is the story of a 1200 mile journey taken in what’s basically the wrong car for the job. I decided to test the 2018 LEAF to the limits, in several different ways. Rapid charging repeatedly, going up one of the steepest interstate highway climbs in the US, some off-highway driving, and long journeys into places with no charging stations were just a few of the things I decided to take on. I thought that after more than a year with the car and almost 50,000 miles on the odometer I knew what the LEAF was made of, but it turned out that I still had more to learn.
OK, this isn’t the hottest news on the planet, but if you missed it, it may be helpful to know that Google Maps now enthusiastically jumps to your service if you’re looking for an EV charging station … which sort of steps all over PlugShare’s toes, but is admittedly a big help for many electric car drivers, especially newbies who knew enough to get a Tesla Model 3 but know very little otherwise about EV life and apps.
I was recently invited along for an exploration of horse whispering in Costa Rica. I made plans to stay at a horse ranch with 11 horses, 2 goats, countless roosters crowing all night long (no, not cock-a-doodle-doo, but “You woke me up”), 4 cats, 1 dog, birds, iguanas, cows (peeking into the wide open bathroom windows — as my traveling companion said, “The neighbors are spying on me”), and so many critters.
