GOING ELECTRIC - From Bob Dylan to electric cars

Going electric propulsion, converting to 240 volts, and installing a second meter

You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. – Bob Dylan

When Bob Dylan took out his Fender Stratocaster to play an electric version of “Maggie’s Farm” at the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, the reception was anything but warm. On the contrary, the folk music audience was in shock. By the time he played his electric version of “Like a Rolling Stone,” the festival-goers were booing, prompting Dylan to walk off the stage. On that day, history was made, and neither folk music nor rock ‘n roll would ever be the same.

Today, the public reception to electric cars has some interesting parallels to that day in 1965. A vocal segment of the editorial press has been trying to boo the electric car off of the automotive stage. The reasons range from government heavy-handedness (“why should my tax dollars subsidize your purchase of an electric car?”), to questionable cost benefits (“you’ll save more money buying a Nissan Versa”), to range anxiety itself.

On the virtues of government incentives for alternative fuel vehicles, we’ll leave that for the political pundits to wrassle over. On the issue of cost-effectiveness, a fuel efficient but very used beater will beat out any new car in that department. The long and the short of it is this: Electric propulsion is a luxury. Like the buyer who’s willing to spend the extra dough for turbocharged acceleration, or for a convertible top to take in the surroundings on a star-studded evening, electric propulsion is a premium to pay for. But as luxuries go, there’s nothing quite like the experience of driving in utter quietness, propelled by an electric motor with full torque available at zero revolutions per minute.

Life is just a little different

Having lived with an 2013 Chevrolet Volt in its fleet since October, we can report that life is just a little different with an electric car—even with the so-called “extended range” design of this model with the back-up gas motor. While the car goes well over 300 miles in its back-up gas motor mode, you really want to keep it in pure electric mode for the best driving experience. Consequently, it’s not unusual to find yourself leaning towards travelling near rather than afar. Suddenly, that restaurant in the neighboring township looks a lot more attractive than the popular hangout on the other side of the city. Going electric means you’ll be supporting your local town’s small businesses a lot more.

Ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more

There’s a popular belief by some rock critics that when Bob Dylan sang “Maggie’s Farm,” it was his declaration of independence from the confines of protest folk music. That Dylan chose to perform “Maggie’s Farm” with electric guitars and an electric organ as his opening song at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 does nothing to diminish this belief.

If dependence on oil is the automotive equivalent of Maggie’s Farm, is an electric car a declaration of independence? Since the Volt has a back-up gas engine, is it a declaration of semi-independence from our addiction to oil? We’re not quite sure how to slice it, but we can say one thing: Driving around in pure electric mode is an addiction in itself. We’re not quite ready to turn our backs on the myriad of masterpieces propelled by the internal combustion engine. On the other hand, to paraphrase D.A. Pennebaker, once you go electric, you dont look back.

Entire article at GOING ELECTRIC - Living in the electric car world | LA Car

 

SCE recommended a second meter, but as the article says, the jury is still out on its savings (it still is). Also, the charging unit used is the second-generation Voltec EL-50580-A with the black coiled cables, which hasn't exhibited any of the reliability issues of the first gen. unit (so far).