Zero E-Michigan

Day 6: Charleston to Marlinton WV Stats and Map: Intended mileage 158 Actual mileage 154 Cumulative mileage 943 Number of charge stops 3 Charging cost $7.35 Charging energy (kWh) 20 Detailed Rever Map Video Route This route took me through the mountains of southern West Virginia from Charleston to Hawk's Nest State Park, New River Gorge, and ultimately through Monongahela Forest to Marlinton, WV.  I was unsure about charging because the PlugShare locations had few check-ins with limited information.  Also since the stations were not networked, I was unable to see status.   Before heading out, my old boss and friend Vinay invited a few of the Bayer Institute, WV site retirees for a breakfast and it was heartwarming to see some of my colleagues after all these yea...

Day 5: Pittsburgh to Charleston Stats and Map: Intended mileage 254 Actual mileage 270 Cumulative mileage 789 Number of charge stops 4 Charging cost $3.02 Charging energy (kWh) 8.6 paid and ~ 19 free Detailed Rever Map Video Route The route took me back roads into West Virginia and mostly along the Ohio River to a friend's house for lunch in New Martinsville, and then on to another friend's house in Charleston, WV.  One of my Michigan friends calls this my "sponge tour" since I'm apparently sponging off a good chunk of my friends in the areas I'm riding through.   First Stops My first stop was at Racoon State Park which was really just a pit stop, but they happened to have a free Level 2 charger so I got about 10 miles of additional range while I stopped...

Day 4: Genoa, OH to Pittsburgh, PA Stats and Map: Intended mileage 250 Actual mileage 250 Cumulative mileage 518 Number of charge stops 3 Charging cost $0.15 (no kidding) Charging energy (kWh) 7.3 paid + ~ 10 at friends' houses Detailed Rever Map Day 4 Video Route Today's route was more or less as planned from my friends Pam and Tom's house to my friends Karl and Mary's house.  However, there were quite a few detours due to road work, flooding, and a downed tree.  So the progress was slow along the lakeshore (little towns along the lakeshore with low speed limits), central Ohio (a million traffic lights), and the Pittsburgh approach (a really screwed up last hour or so due to that tree requiring me to go across a different bridge across the Ohio River).   La...

Day 2: Wet Weather Riding Stats and Map: Intended mileage 95 Actual mileage 95 Cumulative mileage 268 Number of charge stops 1 Charging cost $2.24 Charging energy (kWh) 6.4  Detailed Rever Map Day 2-3 Video Route Today was shorter by design because of the weather.   As expected, it was pouring all day so I chose to only finish my original route from Muskegon to Genoa.  Sure enough, I got soaked despite my "rain gear".  I think I need another visit to Cycle Gear and get some actual waterproof gloves and maybe a rain overcoat.  The internal jacket liner sorta works but it still means my main riding jacket gets wet.   Charging in Monroe, MI Charging Stop I probably could have made today's trip with a single charge, but to be honest I w...

Day 1: Muskegon to Genoa, OH Chelsea, MI Stats and Map: Intended mileage 274 Actual mileage 170 Cumulative mileage 170 Number of charge stops 2 Charging cost $2.50 Charging energy (kWh) 18 Detailed Rever Map Day 1 YouTube video Intended Route The intent on the first day was to get to Genoa, OH where a high school friend has invited me for dinner and an overnight stay.  I also wanted to meet up with a few other friends for a coffee in Chelsea, MI where there is a charging station in town.   My motorcycle, a 2022 Zero SR/S , has a secondary road range of about 100-120 miles depending on temperature and a few other factors.  So with a nearly 300-mile trip today, the goal was to stop 2 times to charge.  I typically like to ride 2-3 hours max before stoppin...

Riding the Dragon Tail of the Dragon   Designated US 129, the Tail of the Dragon in Deals Gap, NC  boasts 318 curves in 11 miles and is bordered by the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest with no intersecting roads or driveways to hamper your travel. Motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts in eastern USA typically fall into two categories:  They've ridden or driven the Tail of the Dragon or they want to.   Checking out the bikes Electrics at the Dragon Austin Ammarell, owner of eMoto Powersports , has been organizing an event to gather electric motorcyclists for several years called Electrics at the Dragon.  Renting a set of AirBNB houses in Robbinsville, NC, Austin's event allows eMoto enthusiasts to rent a room at very reasonable rates.  The shared common spaces like a garage with plenty of parking and common kitchen and living spaces fosters a sense a camaraderie and telling of riding stories for the attendees. ...

QUICKLYNKS 12V Bluetooth monitor (Amazon affiliate link) The recent  12V Battery Post and associated YouTube video elicited quite a bit of engagement, so thanks for the feedback!  The initial analysis indicated that the 12V battery on my Kia Niro EV was potentially marginal.  It turns out a single measurement with a multimeter isn't enough to get a true picture of the battery health. Fellow EV owner and builder Mike Walenga whom I met via the Kalamazoo EV Association recommended a 12V Bluetooth battery monitor which I thought might be helpful for readers of this blog as well.  See link below the picture on the left or in the text above. Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Prefer a video version of this?  See this Zero E-Michigan YouTube Video . Our friend's Prius' 12V battery was draining due to  a dome light left on. Data Snapshots Obviously checking the voltage on your 12V battery with a multimeter only gives you a single sn...

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...

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 a...