Featured Threads Archive

It is very sad. EV fires and explosions can be unforgiving. Hopefully, the battery safety will be improved over the next few years.

Here is the news article with a video clip showing an obliterated Tesla Model 3:

Tesla fire in Valley Village leads to LAPD finding burned body nearby; cause still under investigation—ABC7 Los Angeles

https://globalnews.ca/news/9668341/nb-power-public-charging-network-electric-vehicles/

Toyota says it's too early for electric car transition | The Canberra Times | Canberra, ACT

https://www.thedrive.com/news/manual-equipped-toyota-performance-hybrids-may-be-coming-soon

The Drive article describes how a manual might work in Toyota's performance hybrids:
"There is still effectively one master cylinder for the clutch. The inlet for that cylinder is the output of a shuttle valve, though. The valve takes two inputs from two separate cylinders and, depending on which cylinder provides more pressure, allows that stream of fluid to get into the master cylinder. One of these input cylinders is connected directly to the clutch pedal. The other is controlled by the car's ECU."

So by using this setup the driver has partial override of the ECU's cylinder if they so choose by applying more pressure on the clutch. It even has an option to make it manual full time, disabling the ECU's cylinder, when selecting Sport Mode. Maybe this can be applied to EVs as well...

Full Article

This B.C. shop turns classic cars into high-performance EVs | Driving

"Chevron U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX), kicked off a road trip today across the U.S. Gulf Coast to showcase an innovative new gasoline blend with more than 50 percent renewable content. People from Chevron and Toyota will be driving Toyota’s Tundra, RAV4 and Camry on this road trip with the objective of demonstrating the fuel, which is more than 40 percent less carbon intensive than traditional gasoline on a lifecycle basis."
Chevron road trip demonstrates renewable gasoline blend — Chevron

Very little details out about what this fuel actually is or its cost. Might change by this evening. From a line in a Bloomberg article, I'm guessing it might be from hydrotreated vegetable oil(HVO). This oil goes through process similar to petroleum refining. Some places use HVO as a biodiesel without the drawbacks of traditional biodiesel.

What's...

While I understand they want to offer more attractive and useable vehicles, the Bolt had a good price point with federal credits. The new vehicles will be much more expensive.

Dead: Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV

Californians have bought more than 1.5 million electric vehicles | Ars Technica

https://electrek.co/2023/04/20/surging-ev-demand-causing-states-pause-incentives/

And none of them are Toyota's... if they sold a couple of bZ4Xs it is by chance...

That is almost twice the energy density of today's Li-ion cells. It also isn't a recent lab break through. These "condensed" batteries are going into production within the year.

https://thedriven.io/2023/04/21/worlds-largest-battery-maker-announces-major-breakthrough-in-battery-density/

https://www.autoblog.com/2023/04/23/toyotas-new-president-vows-new-evs-will-stand-out-as-toyota-like

Save some cash every time you fill up.

I use this app in combination with a 3% cash back credit card.

I go to CircleK to fill up, I was given a discount card a couple months ago for 20¢ off a gallon which expires sometime in May, so thats cool they do that and if you go on a Thursday most of the CircleK stations also give 20¢ off a gallon.

You are able to stack the discount given by Upside with the discount cards CircleK gives you or on those Thursday deals.

We can also save more if you use my invite code Y7Y2P

You will get an extra 15¢ a gallon cash back the first time you use the app.

Why spend more when you can save!!!

https://electrek.co/2023/04/21/tesla-update-4680-battery-cell/

I read this and I think: "Where is Toyota?"

If it wasn't that:

1. Musk
2. questionable mechanical reliability
3. questionable marketing strategy about $15k beta software
4. questionable management of their employees
5. they all look the same and they haven't changed their appearance in years
6. they got away from all buttons and stalks in the name of...saving money at the expense of safety and customer convenience (very personal opinion on this one, I admit - I have never driven a Tesla).

I would buy a Tesla.

An article from 2022 but I haven’t seen it posted here.

Survey: Price and Range, Not Gas Prices, Dominate Worries About EVs

Unknown to me, an acquaintance introduced an unscrupulous mechanic then both looted original Toyota Prius vehicle part’s and may have damaged hybrid system/s.

Mechanic says I need new brake’s and rotors (less than a month after a NYS Inspection), acquaintance confirmed & say’s he will purchase my brake’s & rotor’s. Mechanic say’s to my acquaintance because we’re friends, I’ll only charge you $100 for labor. I thought labor included too? I said to my acquaintance, I can’t accept, he’s insisting and with that he has no ulterior motives, he’s a nice guy who recently came into some money and want’s to help. A day was set for the brake’s and rotor’s.

The brake job was done. The following day, a noise is heard from the rear passenger wheel area. I called the mechanic, he asked that I let things settle and if noise continues to get back to him. Shortly thereafter, an alert, check engine light came on. I pulled into a full service station and the girl shuts it off. I call...

Toyota Planning Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles With Over 124 Miles Of Electric Range

Source: AD #3540 – Toyota to Make Major Pivot to EVs; Ram EV Gets 500 Miles of Range; Ford Debuts Small Electric Van – Autoline Daily