Skip to Content

Are you doug korthof? If So, Login Here.

BlogComments
Autoblog9 Comments
Engadget5 Comments
Cinematical1 Comment
BloggingStocks2 Comments
Autoblog Green57 Comments

Recent Comments:

Nissan says "no exceptions" to charger installation fees {Autoblog Green}

Jul 25th 2010 3:54AM Actually, Nixon, the charger is ON THE EV; the Nissan plug is only a kluge device. All homes are already wired for 220/240; check it out, it's the facts. If you run an RV, you run more than an EV, 50 Amps at 240V for an RV is 12 kW!!

The puny Nissan charger, 3.3 kW, is just AN EXPENSIVE OVER-ENGINEERED TOY.

Nissan says "no exceptions" to charger installation fees {Autoblog Green}

Jul 25th 2010 3:51AM Yes, Nissan is not being honest nor forthright about the charger; it's NOT necessary to hire a contractor to do electric work, you can do so as an OWNER-BUILDER. The job of an electrical inspector (and plan checker) is to ensure that the work is up to CODE; who does the work is NOT RELEVANT.

So why is Nissan niggling and lying??

Might be better to wait for Toyota, which treated us well and honestly leased the RAV4-EV, even though it did require purchase of the magnecharger (however, a bit more than the Nissan junky 3.3 kW POS!). One might make a case for the handier 6 kW magnecharger, but why would one want to spend $2200 for a junky 3.3 kW charger??

The best and only real EV charger is AN OUTLET, cost $5. Trying to make us use "chargers" is basically trying to isolate the EV fleet from the existing electric infrastructure, and betokens dishonesty.

Nissan says "no exceptions" to charger installation fees {Autoblog Green}

Jul 25th 2010 3:44AM Well, we have certified electricians (C-10 and C-46) who are RAV4-EV drivers and willing to install the "chargers". But as we know, the only REAL EV charger is a regular OUTLET, cost $5, so Nissan is not being honest here.
Maybe best to wait for the Toyota RAV-EV, than fool around with yet another dishonest, half-hearted seller like Nissan.
Don't forget, Nissan had the failed Altra, and crushed the more successful Hypermini, so it must battle against its bad existing reputation.
So far, it looks like Nissan is pretending to be just another GM, forcing phony expenses for "charging stations". As pointed out here, ANY CALIFORNIA RESIDENT is qualified to do electrical work so long as it's up to CODE; there's no necessity to hire an electrician, and no such thing as a requirement for a "licensed electrician"!! Electrical contractors are required if you're going to HIRE someone to do work valued at more than $500; but you DON'T NEED TO HIRE ANYONE. NISSAN IS LYING.

Daily Mail columnist goes off (the deep end) criticizing electric cars {Autoblog Green}

Jun 30th 2010 1:24PM nrb, do some research before opening mouth and looking like fool.

Daily Mail columnist goes off (the deep end) criticizing electric cars {Autoblog Green}

Jun 30th 2010 1:17PM Yes, the Republicans are generally in favor of BIG OIL as well as BIG BANKS, it's a partisan issue; Bush's selection in 2000 killed the EV, allowed GM to crushe them, and allowed California Air Resources Board to accept bribes to substitute the myth of fuel cells for the reality of EVS (if you don't believe bribes, look into next best thing, the Davis ITS, which is funded by Big Oil and supports one of the key anti-EV Carb members).

We resent Republicans using the word "conservative" to kill EVs and promote Big Oil; in reality, the Electric car is conservative, it uses less energy and allows you to make more electric than you need to drive on your own rooftop solar system. What's more Yankee than making your own power, and not relying on Republican Big Bankers for your energy supplies??

Daily Mail columnist goes off (the deep end) criticizing electric cars {Autoblog Green}

Jun 30th 2010 1:16PM One of our RAV4-EV, using Nickel batteries, has more than 102,000 miles and still gets 100 to 150 miles on a charge. These Nickel batteries are superior to the junk GM-Ovonics version in the EV1; if improved, they would duplicate the 220 miles achieved in 1990 or the 300 miles achieved in 1996 by those trying to improve EVs (whereas GM and its ally, Chevron, is trying to prove EVs don't work).

The other RAV4-EV, "nogaso", has over 83,000 miles -- we're saving this one so that it lasts far beyond 2015, when Chevron-GM's patent rights expire, and Toyota may be free to resume production of NiMH plug-in cars.

The third was abused by employees; but it still got over 120,000 miles before its batteries were replaced (using pre-Chevron 2002 remainder batteries), so it's still running, with over 130 miles range.

Even lead-acid PSB EVEC 1260 batteries, used after sabotaged GM lead batteries were replaced in the first EV and also used in the second EV1 (1999), got over 110 miles and lasted more than 50,000 miles.

Yes, the Republicans are generally in favor of BIG OIL as well as BIG BANKS, it's a partisan issue; Bush's selection in 2000 killed the EV, allowed GM to crushe them, and allowed California Air Resources Board to accept bribes to substitute the myth of fuel cells for the reality of EVS (if you don't believe bribes, look into next best thing, the Davis ITS, which is funded by Big Oil and supports one of the key anti-EV Carb members).

We resent Republicans using the word "conservative" to kill EVs and promote Big Oil; in reality, the Electric car is conservative, it uses less energy and allows you to make more electric than you need to drive on your own rooftop solar system. What's more Yankee than making your own power, and not relying on Republican Big Bankers for your energy supplies??

Chelsea Sexton: We're losing sight of reason in the debate over adding sounds to electric vehicles {Autoblog Green}

Jun 24th 2010 11:42AM Solar power and plug-in cars is the only sustainable way to power individual autos.

Running an EV 1000 miles per month takes only 250 kilo-Watt-hours of electric, about $25 worth; about what two old refrigerators cost and about a third of the average home usage.

It would take only a tenth of the average home roof -- 6 square yards -- to make 250 kWh per month, enough electric energy to run a plug-in car 1000 miles per month.

Because solar power and plug-in cars would cut oil profits, Big Oil has strangled and delayed this simple alternative to oil and coal.

No matter how many nuke or coal plants we build, it won't replace one drop of oil unless there are plug-in cars to use the electric.

America's largest open-pit coal mine is a witches cauldron of toxic waste and caustic destruction; but if the ground were left alone, and covered with solar panels, we'd get more electric energy from the same space (28,000 acres) than from the coal.

Instead of coal mines, or oil rigs, the same workers could be manufacturing and installing solar panels and building and recycling electric plug-in cars and reforming their batteries.

Buying oil from people who hate us gives them our money and leaves only air and ground pollution, asthma and smog.

Nickel-Metal Hydride is the only proven EV (Electric Vehicle) battery; after 100K or 200K miles NiMH can be remelted down into new batteries without new mining. But we need to get started, instead of seeking the "perfect EV".

Instead of "research", we need to start making and improving plug-in cars right now, not waiting for the perfect that never comes.

Lowering cost and continual product improvement of EVs and solar panels is the only healing salve for our oil and coal toxicity.

Chelsea Sexton: We're losing sight of reason in the debate over adding sounds to electric vehicles {Autoblog Green}

Jun 24th 2010 11:33AM When the EV1 detractors complained about how NOISY it was, and also required it to have a WARNING dingle, it became apparent that nothing could satisfy the enemies of EVs.

Here we are, diddling with whether the EV needs sounds, when oil and coal is polluting our planet.

If the LEAF-EV is ever actually issued, I'm going to modify mine from a "ding" to say, in an endless loop,
...NO GAS NO OIL NO SMOG CHECKS POWERED BY MY SOLAR ROOFTOP SYSTEM MADE IN AMERICA FUELED IN AMERICA GM SUCKS...YOU CAN BUY ONE TOO...

Now watch, the anti-EV folks will say it's illegal to have discernable sounds, they want the EV to sound BAD.

General Motors may build its own low-cost EV for India {Autoblog Green}

Jun 7th 2010 6:45PM Lead acid batteries work fine, if you don't need more than 110 miles range. The 1996 and 1999 EV1 fitted with PSB EV-EC1260 lead acid batteries had over 100 miles range on a charge and were super-reliable.

Every successful EV started out as using lead-acid, and then was upgraded as better batteries became available. It's a GM lie that "we can't use nickel now because it's incompatible". LIAR! The EV1 started with lead, and was upgraded to (defective GM-ovonics) NiMH; the RangerEV started with lead, and was upgraded; the S10-E, same story; the HondaEV, same; in fact, it's just a software change to refit the RangerEV from lead to NiMH, and back again (since we can't get the batteries, due to GM-Standard Oil collusion).

General Motors may build its own low-cost EV for India {Autoblog Green}

Jun 7th 2010 6:39PM NOTHING would help GM; GM was part of the plot to kill EVs.

In 1994, GM bought up control of Nickel batteries for plug-in cars, and suppressed them, refusing to allow them to be used. The Nov., 1996 EV1 came out with defective GM-Delco lead batteries.

In 1997, Toyota and Honda released Nickel RAV4-EV and HondaEV, proving that GM was squatting on the rights.

GM stonewalled releasing the Nickel EV1 until CARB forced them to release 200 in Dec., 1999. But GM refused to make more, and dribbled them out, refusing even to lease them to the general public.

On Oct. 10, 2000, GM sold NiMH to Big Oil. Texaco was the recipient, but was just a dummy -- six days later, Texaco and Chevron (standard oil of California) announced they would merge -- taking to Big Oil the only EV batteries proven to give up to 200 miles (in 1996, 325) miles on a charge, and last more than 100K miles.

In Mar., 2001, Chevron's unit filed suit to stop Toyota's use of NiMH for plug-in cars; in Dec. 2002, Toyota surrendered to Chevron, stopping production fo NiMH and the RAV4-EV, agreeing never to use NiMH for EVs that can plug in.

That's why all plug-ins now are forced to use short-lived and more-expensive Lithium; with a cost 4 to 10 times that of NiMH, and failure to last more than 50k miles.

So GM is not on the side of EVs! GM has always been a tool of BIG OIL.


Featured Galleries

  • Paris 2010 Preview: Mazda 2, 3 and 5
  • 2010 OSU Buckeye Bullet
  • Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4
  • Epic EV Amp
  • Solar Outpost Electric Car Charging Station
  • Epic EV Torq
  • Paris 2010: Kia Pop concept
  • Chevy Volt Initial Ordering Guide
  • Human Car
  • General Motors wind tunnel
  • President Obama drives the Volt
  • Plug-In 2010: Arcimoto Pulse and Barefoot Motors ATV

Our Writers

Sebastian Blanco

Editor-in-Chief

RSS Feed

Jeremy Korzeniewski

Editor

RSS Feed

Sam Abuelsamid

Associate Editor

RSS Feed

Domenick Yoney

Associate Editor

RSS Feed

View more Writers

Autoblog

DailyFinance

Download Squad

Engadget

Joystiq

Autoblog Spanish

Switched.com

FanHouse

Asylum