Articles by
Paul Gipe
Do I Need Heated Seats in an EV?
By
Paul Gipe
Yes, heated seats in an Electric Vehicle are a must. And a heated steering wheel too, if you can get it. This is particularly true for limited-range EVs like the early Nissan Leaf, but it remains a useful feature for longer-range vehicles as well.
Problem Free 730-mile Roundtrip in a Chevy Bolt
By
Paul Gipe
We've been driving electric for five years and we've seen tremendous improvement in both the cars and the charging network in that time. This trip was proof of that. Everything worked as expected. There were no surprises. We drove to where we wanted and returned--without drama.
Electrify America’s DCFC Stations Favor CCS Charging Standard
By
Paul Gipe
Electrify America, a Volkswagen subsidiary, is building hundreds of charging stations across North America as part of its settlements for the Diesel-Gate pollution scandal. Each EA station includes four to six DC Fast-Charging kiosks. However, EA's deployment favors the charging standard used by VW over that by its Japanese competitor Nissan. EA is building a charging network that when complete will give its parent company, VW, a competitive advantage.
What does it Cost per Mile to Drive an Electric Vehicle?
By
Paul Gipe
Here in California it costs costs a little less than $0.06 per mile for us to charge our Bolt EV at home. Elsewhere in North America it may cost half that to charge at home. The cost to drive on electricity in California is about one-half that of driving with gasoline for most vehicles. It's even less expensive driving electric than it is driving a Prius.
Slovenian Electric Vehicles
By
Paul Gipe
While touring Central Europe with a Rick Steve's group I didn't see a single wind turbine (my specialty), but I did come across some electric vehicles--my current passion--and one DC fast charger.
Charging at Electrify America
By
Paul Gipe
As part of its penance for the diesel-gate pollution scandal, Volkswagen is building a continent-wide network of DC fast charging stations for electric vehicles under the brand of Electrify America.
What’s that Number on PlugShare Mean?
By
Paul Gipe
Short answer: High number--the station is relatively reliable; Low number--station is unreliable. Drivers want to avoid stations with low numbers.
CalTrans’ District 9 in Bishop has awarded DCFC Contract
By
Paul Gipe
CalTrans' District 9 office in Bishop, California has finally awarded the contract to build DC fast-charging stations as part of CalTrans' 30-30 program.
NR 44-4612: One of the Ones that Didn’t Make it Home
By
Paul Gipe
On the glacial plain just north of the High Tatras Mountains that separates Poland from Slovakia is the village of Koniówka. Unlike the surrounding foothills with their ski slopes and second-home villas for the wealthy of Poland and Russia, Koniówka is remarkable for only two things. It's flat and everywhere else is not, and on 13 September 1944 an American B-17 Flying Fortress crashed nearby.
Transformer Installed at EA’s Bakersfield Station
By
Paul Gipe
Sometime in the past week PG&E has installed the transformer for the Electrify America station in Bakersfield, California.
Recargo’s DCFC Station Contract on 101 in Central California has expired
By
Paul Gipe
Recargo's California Energy Commission contract to build eight DC fast-charging stations from Buellton, California to the San Francisco Bay Area on Hwy 101 has "expired."
Setting a Charging Schedule for the Chevy Bolt EV
By
Paul Gipe
I was talking to a Chevy Bolt newby and in the course of the conversation I found that they knew another Bolt driver who charged off-peak using a cheap 120-volt timer you can get at any big box store because of the lower electricity rates. This rang several alarm bells.
