In the Driver’s Seat Blog

In a recent interview in the Atlantic, We Need an Energy Miracle, Bill Gates made some statements about our transition to a zero-carbon energy economy and electric vehicles which need to be corrected. On the subject of existing technology and efficiency gains, Gates said: But what we’re asking ourselves to[…]

Yes, of course, EV drivers get stranded, the same as gas car drivers get stranded. It’s pretty much the same situation in any vehicle. People run out of juice not because of how big the tank or battery is, but because they either aren’t paying attention or choose to play[…]

There is interest in having electric vehicles participate in the grid in an active, bi-directional way, referred to as vehicle-to-grid or V2G. Instead of firing up expensive on-demand generators that burn fossil fuels, perhaps we could use EVs as a power source to handle demand spikes in a way that[…]

As we near five years since the introduction of plug-in electric vehicles, it’s encouraging to see that total sales are on pace to double that of plugless hybrids for their first five years. This year also marks the fifth annual celebration of National Drive Electric Week. Please join us at[…]

My wife and I have been driving electric vehicles since 2008, logging over 100,000 electric miles, and have never had an experience where our vehicle’s lack of engine noise created an unsafe situation. However, the issue of quiet vehicles and pedestrians is subtle and complex. I have had a pedestrian[…]

Workplace Charging – The Goldilocks Approach Many companies are considering providing workplace charging for their employees and finding they are in new territory with many options to consider. We at Plug In America would like to share what we have learned having been involved for over 10 years in both[…]

We’re gearing up for National Drive Electric Week 2014 September 15-21. Dedicated volunteers and EV advocates are signing up to create events across the US, Canada, and Mexico. With 11 weeks to go, we have 70 events being planned, compared to 24 at this time last year. As you can[…]

As with any car purchase, there’s more to consider than cost when thinking about a plug-in vehicle. There’s also the convenience of fueling at home and the superior driving experience of an electric drive train. But at some point, we have to think about the cost and thrifty consumers will[…]

We’ve seen a number of reports recently about predictions that electric vehicles will lose value faster than similar gas cars. While predicting the future is a tricky business, there’s a deceptive math trick being used to make the resale values of EVs look bad. The people making these predictions tend[…]

At Plug In 2013 in San Diego, I presented some new and updated results from the Plug In America EV battery longevity studies. The Original 1997-2003 Toyota RAV4 EV First up, let’s take a look at a chart showing results from 62 original RAV4 EV owners. These vehicles started production[…]

Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Priorities My wife and I have been driving electric since 2008. Living in the Seattle area means there was no public charging infrastructure back then, so we’ve seen a lot of change. As an early adopter, I’ve promoted public charging and helped individuals, cities, and businesses[…]

Like owners of conventional gas cars, owners of electric cars are naturally interested in understanding expectations of long-term performance and maintenance issues. In the fall of 2012, Plug In America conducted a survey of Nissan LEAF owners to gain a better understanding of the unexpected battery capacity loss reported by[…]

In the summer of 2012, news emerged of Nissan LEAF owners in Tucson, AZ, and other hot-climate areas experiencing unexpectedly large losses of battery capacity. This caused quite a stir in the LEAF owner community. The thread discussing this issue on the My Nissan LEAF (MNL) forum has over 5,000[…]

Electric vehicles are awesome for local driving. Driving within the single-charge range of an electric vehicle is more fun, more convenient, and cheaper than driving a gas car. Many people are drawn to the idea that they can abandon gas stations, fuel at home, drive 130 miles for the cost[…]

I’ve been driving electric vehicles since 2008, logging over 50,000 miles, and have never had an experience where my vehicle’s lack of engine noise created an unsafe situation. However, the issue of quiet vehicles and pedestrians is subtle and complex. I have had a pedestrian walk backwards through the traffic[…]

Yesterday, Cathy and I gave a presentation on electric vehicles for high school students participating in Energy Week at Central Washington University. We started with explaining that electric vehicles should not be marketed like they are medicine, some bitter pill we should all be willing to swallow for the good[…]

The city of Sammamish, WA, recently purchased two Nissan LEAFs, and I helped make that happen by assisting the city director of community development in evaluating the total cost of ownership of the LEAF compared to gas cars the city was considering purchasing. I got involved in helping the city[…]