Your home for EVs in Rural America
Jason Fee has spent his entire life around automobiles. Growing up in Flint, Michigan, Jason naturally found his career in the automotive industry and is now with GM Service.
Jason called me out on my GM bashing a few years ago and has become a friend of the show. He brings a manufacturers perpective to the discussion we have on EVD. It’s a fun, yet rambling conversation… because we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Enjoy.
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Can you imagine a EV that you could drive across the US, from sea to shining sea, without having to stop and charge? Now, you’ll have time to check out the World’s Largest Ball of Twine and The Grand Canyon simply because you’re not looking for infrastructure and can focus on the world around you. That’s the promise of the coming future.
We have said numerous times, we are just one breakthrough away (maybe several) from solving the entire clean energy problem for the entire globe. On a smaller, yet related, scale, we are one breakthrough away from higher performance, more efficient electric vehicles with longer ranges and faster charging times.
Currently in Korea at the Pohang University of Science & Technology and at Purdue University here in the U.S., researchers have unlocked 3000 mile battery technology in two different forms.
First, researchers at Pohang, have discovered a way to make battery anodes (where the energy is stored) that hold 10X more charge by using silicon instead of graphite. Using silicon has long been a sought after technology, but until now, the silicon would expand making it unusable. But now, that problem seems to be solved and the potential 3K mile battery is officially a thing.
For me, being the inquisitive person I am, my first question is how long would it take this thing to charge and how many cycles will it last? Okay, technically that’s two questions, but the idea remains. I am assuming, since motors have not improved on efficiency, that this 3K miles would come from a 1000 kWh battery at roughly 3mi/kWh which is what we see from current technology. Charging a battery that size would take a minute… or two.
At 150 kW DCFC, this battery from dead to fully charge would take almost 7 hours. At home, you’re looking at 4 days… just sayin’. That’s how the math works.
Meanwhile, half way around the world, professors and students have built a flow battery that lasts for potentially 3000 miles as well and works more like a traditional “gasoline model”. A flow battery works by using an electrolyte to erode the anode of the battery, freeing those ever-necessary electrons to pass through the electric motor on their way to the cathode. The electrolyte is only good for about 300 mile, but is easily and quickly pumped out of the fuel cell and replaced. The electrolyte is water-based and is recyclable.
At some point though, the anode is used up… But not to worry, it can be replaced as cheaply and easily as your traditional oil change. Now we have an EV that isn’t much different from a traditional ICE model in the way it is refueled. How cool is that?
Either way, both of these technologies are a ways away from making it to market, but it does demonstrate that a lot of smart people are using their intellect for good and not evil. Keep up the good work!
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We are back. Welcome to 2024. We recorded this episode on January 22 in the middle of a polar vortex. As you can see, it took me (Ben) a while to get it posted. I do apologize and hope to do better. Every day is an adventure, huh?
In mid-January, our part of the world experienced heavy snow (more than usual anyway) followed by bitter cold. This was true for most of the eastern part of the U.S. and we were greeted by several news stories where Tesla drivers were having trouble charging. Either the car wouldn’t charge or it took extraordinarily long.
To say the least, the tone for most of these was “See? EVs SUCK!”
We try to educate, mostly ourselves, but sometimes it bleeds over to you, our loyal listeners. So, let’s discuss what’s going on and what we can do about it.
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Not going to lie- I’ve been a little discouraged about the EV news lately. Sure, new models are coming out every day. New breakthroughs in battery construction seem just over the horizon, but I have found myself inundated with seemingly bad new.
First, I found myself in a conference where a very influential member of a major utility organization proceeded to dismantle the improvements to the industry that EVs represent. Some of it I agreed with, like saying on-peak charging will bankrupt utilities, but he was still promoting the idea that EVs are inherently more “dirty” than fossil fuel vehicles. I’ve read the studies. I believe they are “cleaner” to operate overall, but you have to trace the reports back to their origin (who paid for it) to find hidden biases in the conclusions. But I digress.
Next, I am bombarded by articles where Ford is slowing down production of F150 Lightning pickups, pausing the construction of battery plants, and furloughing workers at their EV facilities despite the fact interest in electric vehicles is growing. General Motors, in like fashion, is throttling back on their production and pushing current sales goals into 2025.
Rationally, though, all of these moves make sense. Ford is claiming a $4.8. billion loss in their EV division because of softening sales, supply issues, and general uncertainty about rapidly changing world dynamics. Ford is also investing billions in new facilities and killing of ICE nameplates to make room for new EV models, proving they are still optimistic about the future of EVs. GM finds itself in the same situation: trying to maximize capital to sustain longevity of the brand. Even Tesla is announcing disappointing Q3 sales– down 20%.
The economy and higher interest rates that have slowed EV sales. Factor in that EVs are still slightly more expensive than their gasoline counterparts and we understand the pause. However, sometimes, it’s good to pause, assess the situation, so that you can push ahead again, even harder, tomorrow.
All in all, the EV industry is doing well and is gaining more acceptance every day. Things are cyclical and this too shall pass. Keep the faith.
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Last week, Kentucky announced the first round of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure grant recipients. Sixteen projects submitted by six entities are now funded with $10.9 million in tax payer dollars. While I agree this is good for EV promotion and adoption, I was a little dismayed when a map of said projects showed an obvious lack of development east of Interstate 75, allowing eastern Kentucky to remain a public infrastructure wasteland.
Admittedly, I’m a bit of a conspiracy theorist only because so many theories have been proven as fact, so my default attitude is distrust and I am looking for ulterior motives especially when it comes to government activity. (I still have no idea who killed JFK, but I do have my suspicions). When the accompanying map showing the location of the projects was unveiled, I immediately began to question why the most rural parts of the state were being overlooked for infrastructure projects, even though I see more EVs on the road in my area daily. I settled on three possible causes: population density, median household income and political ideology. In this episode, we compare rural America and Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) states in regards to these causes.
By the U.S. Census Bureau defintion, I don’t live in a rural area as there are more than 2,500 people in the region, BUT I do live in “small-town America” (STA). The population of Laurel County, where Brent and I live, is 62,000+ and we claim the original KFC although its in the next town down. There are fewer potential EV owners here than many “towns”, much less cities, in other states.
The mean annual income is less than a base model Tesla Model 3, another reason not to target this area. Financing over 72 months would require the populous to spend 20% of their pre-tax income on a vehicle. It’s a tough task given the fact that EVs are still proving themselves as a viable alternative, part of which is due to the next reason, political ideology.
Rural America is much more conservative than all of the ZEV states and this is demonstrated by any Red State/Blue State map. We’ve said all along, the environmental movement, including the promotion of electric vehicles, is deemed a Liberal idea and is quickly met with opposition “in these parts.” I think this is stupidity on display, but it is still an obstacle to EV adoption in STA.
Rural Americans deserve the benefits that EVs offer, but I have to remind myself that we are still in the infancy of this movement. Improved infrastructure in STA will come with time. Enjoy our discussion and let us know your thoughts.
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Patience is Cumbersome.
That pretty much sums up this entire episode in three words. As we resume our discussion of the road trip recently taken by the Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, the author of the NPR article, Camila Domonoske, makes her arguments for why non-Tesla EVs have a “road trip problem”.
First, she sees planning a road trip as cumbersome. Second, there is a lack of infrastructure, which contributes to the first point. Third, the chargers are not fast enough. And finally, the charging infrastructure is unreliable.
She’s not wrong, but there are several things to consider. We are in the infancy of EV adoption. It seems like we are farther along, but realistically, we are just a toddler attempting the first steps of a marathon long course. JD Powers says that worry about public charging is the number one reason people are hesitant to change to electric. It is a concern, but remember 90% of charging is done at home.
But Ms. Domonoske’s points are valid. We want to go when we want to go and we don’t want anything to slow us down. Look at it this way, walking requires rest breaks, horses need water, cars need to refuel, and EVs will need to charge. As technology advances, this argument will become smaller and smaller, but all forms of travel require us to interrupt our journey at some point. There aren’t enough fast, reliable charging ports available, but that is why there is such a push to build the infrastructure to support a mass fleet of EVs.
The bottom line is this is a process and it requires patience. “Patience is when you’re supposed to be mad, but you choose to understand.” I don’t know who said it, but no truer words have been spoken.
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This episode is just a wrap up of EVolveKY’s EV education event hosted in conjunction with the Laurel County Kiwanis Club. There was a bevy of EVs from A to Z (Nissan Ariya to many other Zero emission vehicles.)
Ben and Brent discuss their impressions and take aways from the event.
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Today, we are discussing Elon Musk. The guy is a freaky genius and looks at the world differently than most. His contribution to the EV world is his legacy (that, and PayPal… SpaceX… etc.), however his controversial take over of Twitter may tarnish the way history will forever look at him.
Like him or hate him, we wouldn’t be as far along as we are if not for Elon. Now, he’s offering his patents like open source code for all who wish to participate in advancing EVs, but will the other manufacturers get on board or will ego stand in the way of progress?
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A startup called Ample is working with Fisker to create battery exchange stations for EVs that would rival traditional gas stations in speed and convenience. They can be constructed quickly and may be a better use of taxpayer dollars going toward infrastructure were it not for one thing: A lack of standardization in the EV world.
The automotive industry has standardized many things in the name of safety and service. Many things, like spark plugs, are interchangeable between manufacturers, most supplied by third-party manufacturers supplying the industry. Many things are still proprietary. Why not make batteries interchangeable and boost EV adoption through something easily replaceable?
Battery exchange isn’t necessarily a new idea, but now Ample is working on proof of concept. We think this could be a great way to remove barriers of entry and many concerns people have about EVs. What do you think?
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The United States Department of Energy awarded 20 companies government loans totaling $2.8 billion to boost battery production in the United States. Texas-based Microvast was one of those companies and they announced plans to build a $500+ million dollar facility here in Kentucky which would create more than 500 jobs. Kentucky joined the cause offering $21 million in tax incentives to Microvast.
Abruptly, the DOE pulled funding when some congressional Republicans questioned some “improper ties to China”. Now Kentucky is holding off on the tax incentives until Microvast can explain why the DOE acted so quickly.
Our question is: In this global economy, what exactly is an improper tie to China? The US economy and the Chinese economy are so intertwined, how could you tell? This is an American company, founded by an American whose name just happens to be Yang Wu.
Is this really about China or is it posturing against all things Democrat of which EVs seem to be a part?
Again, the (R)EV Diaries feel that EVs are neither Right nor Left and can stand on their own merit. We also think the more companies making batteries, the cheaper they will become, but more importantly, improvements in battery technology will happen faster because more people will be working to solve the current problems and limitation of current batteries.
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