Zero E-Michigan

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. ...

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...

The Volt waits while the Tesla charges. Image source: Karl Bloss In mid-August our 2015 Chevy Volt discussed in  last month's essay on plug-in hybrids  displayed an "Engine Maintenance" warning.   The message (see below) informs the driver that the car has used so little gasoline that it needs to burn some, presumably to keep the fluids in the internal combustion engine (ICE) moving, seals lubricated, etc.  From June through mid-August, the car was driven about 1,500 miles of local-only trips fueled primarily by electricity and only 0.4 gallons of gas.   The on-screen message startled my daughter who was still getting used to the car.  After some time on Volt forums, I learned that this message is sort of a badge of honor among Volt drivers because it means you're using so little gas. Low gasoline usage maintenance screen Image source: Karl Bloss Time to Burn Some Gas The end of university summer vacation necessitated a return trip to Kansas ...

EV Road Trip Plan - Day 2 Litchfield, IL into Michigan Day 2 Route: Litchfield, IL to Benton Harbor, MI Assuming Day 1 has gone as according to the plan laid out in the prior blog entry , I should be in Litchfield, IL on the morning of Day 2 with a full charge courtesy of  Victory Lane Ford  and/or Level 1 (120 V) charging from whatever hotel I select. Day 2 will trace along Interstate 55 and Historic Route 66 into the Chicago outskirts.  Thanks to several EVGo DC Quick Chargers (DCQC), I anticipate zipping along the southern edge of Lake Michigan rather quickly. And I'm Off On a normal road trip, I tend to check out of the hotel, refill my coffee cup and hop on the highway.  In this case, range and speed efficiency is everything.  Therefore, I'll stick to back roads where I can travel 45-50 MPH. Interstate Highway and Adjacent Access Road (arrow) Access Roads Along many Interstate highways including I-70 and I-55, there are often acce...