Zero E-Michigan

Wait...you did know your EV still has a 12V "starter" battery, right?  Yeah, it does...whether you can see it under the hood like on a standard VICE (vehicle with internal combustion engine), it's buried under the rear cargo area (Chevy Volt, see picture below), or it's somewhere else entirely (Tesla), your car has one.  One minor exception:  The Tesla Cybertruck has a 48V auxiliary system, so none of this will apply to that vehicle.  Prefer a video version of this?  See this Zero E-Michigan YouTube episode.   If There's No Engine to Crank, What Does It Do? The 12V battery may not turn over an internal combustion engine when starting the car, but it's essential to fire up all the auxiliary systems like climate control, lights, wipers, and - most importantly - the vehicle's computer that controls everything. If your 12V battery is flat, your car won't start even if the main traction battery has a 100% charge. DC to DC Converter - Your EVs "Alternat

If you're a Tesla owner, chances are you do the bulk of your road trip charges at a Tesla Supercharger .   But let's say you're heading out on a US-based EV road trip in your non-Tesla.  Chances are,  Electrify America  (EA) stations are one of the charging options along your way.  If your car doesn't have a free charging option like many new Volkswagen ID4 vehicles or others, you'll likely need to pay for those charging sessions.   EA Pass versus Pass + EA has several payment options: No membership: Pay as you go with a credit or debit card Pass membership: Fund your account with a credit card, and use your app to pay - no monthly fee Pass+ membership: Fund your account with a credit card, and use your app to pay - $7 per month Which Is Best For Your Use Case? EA's only guidance for Pass+ is to recommend it if "I fast charge regularly" and mentions the $7.00 per month fee.   So what does that buy you?  Basically the monthly fee buys down the 25% of

In my capacity as EV Education and Outreach Lead for Consumers Energy EV group  in the last three years, one of my regular tasks has been to write the articles for the company's EV e-Newsletter (archived copies are on a prior blog post ).   With the support of my supervisor at Consumers Energy, I've also focused my attention on the Zero E-Michigan YouTube channel and video podcasts  as well as  audio only podcasts (Buzzsprout) .  Since there's only so much of my creative energy to go around, I have neglected the "Muskegon EV Guy" blog.   As of March 1, 2024, I will be retiring from the Consumers Energy position.  My reasons mostly have to do with my desire to do less work and more travel and other fun things.   More EV Content To Come I still enjoy being in the non-professional EV education and outreach space.  As such, I will continue with the YouTube and podcast efforts, but also come back to writing.  For some people and for some topics, a simple article is be