Month of October 2024 ( National Average price $3.19 )

Yes, pumped the tires up more than I ever have. Anyhow, the ride is smooth on smooth pavement, which is sweet. Steering is really nice. I’ll continue to evaluate, specially on roads that are rougher.

 

I still can’t afford an EV, so some of the chargers here are still free. When I am able to afford & buy an EV, the free chargers will go away. You see, all those chargers are waiting for what I do. I’m really important, ya know.

 

re: free chargers - I rarely charge for free these days as I don't visit places with free chargers very often or for very long, and they're most often already in use. I stopped at a grocery store (one I rarely go to) and they have a Volta charger where I had once charged for free for 20 minutes years ago. Of course, I had read that Shell had taken over the Volta chargers, but this is still branded as Volta, but now requires an account whereas one just plugged in before. Boo!

Here's a snippet from an AI search.






But this one was still legacy L2 charging, requiring the app nonetheless. Who has time to install an app for an opportunity charge unless frequented?

add:

When Shell installs the free Volta DC chargers, perhaps I'll install their app though I don't expect the chargers will be any more 'available' than current Volta chargers in my area with a disproportionate user to charger ratio. We'll have to see how broadly Shell rolls out the chargers.

The main positive I see is that a short (30 min or less) DC charge is likely to garner a good amount of energy vs L2 charging. Even at 50 kW, a 30 min charge would gross (vs net) 25 kWh. (against 3.5 to 5.5 kWh possible with 7-11 kW L2)

add #2: @litesong - DC charging at 50 kW will not stress ANY current EV's battery in terms of heat generated or battery longevity.

 

Making excuses for NOT using free changers is something I can’t afford. Fortunately (as for now), there are FREE chargers WHERE i want to be! Since the chargers are slow, that’s OK by me, because I want to be at those places for hours. It does appear that I’ve recovered from my heart attack enough, that I can safely be at those locations.

It really is glorious to live in Washington state to be able to experience so many interesting locations.

Been said before that 55KW chargers don’t hurt battery longevity by people who use 100 to 300KW chargers. I don’t believe the words of people who abuse batteries. But, my plan is to drive an EV 300,000 miles(more?). To that end I will treat EV batteries as if they come from baby technology (which it is). Richer people get rid of their EVs because they abuse them. I will not abuse an EV or get rid of it.

 

Lucky you. I don't want to walk for hours at the grocery store (time limit aside) or at the train station, or at the library 30 miles away. These are the ONLY free chargers around me.

I hope you have plans A, B, C, D and so forth for failed parts past warranty periods, including the battery.

 

The grocery store FREE chargers(yes, there are several) are near parks, one between rivers & creeks that I have walked for 65 years, others that I want to explore. The FREE charger near a train station has areas ripe for exploring. Many libraries have FREE chargers that I will also explore, IN the libraries & the parks & trails outside the libraries. As stated, Washington state is glorious.

My Hyundais have passed their 80 to 100,000 miles warranty periods. So far, the over-sized tires I’ve used on the cars & slow driving I’ve put on them I believe, have helped to avoid suspension, drive system & engine problems. The Elantras are holding up well, tho they are not known to have the best reliability. Hope careful driving (& over-sized tires) will give any EV I do get, good reliability.

 

Today it is 48 deg F in Naperville and 46 in Elk Grove.

Wind NNW 16

33.4 miles, fcd = 47.7 MPG ( ouch )

Well, perhaps this wind will still be around when I leave work at 2:30.
Saturday, I drove the Fit 29 miles, 51 MPG.
Sunday, drove the Elantra 22 miles , 68 MPG.

 

Light traffic today thanks to Columbus day, where we celebrate Columbus and his crew heading to North America, arriving in a Nova, a Pinto and a Santa Cruz.
Starting at 55F and climbing a couple of degrees during the trip, and no wind at all, 63.8mpg over 18.2 miles.

 

Hey ! I had a Pinto. It was my first new car.

A few years after Columbus.

 

My wife had a Mustang II as her first car. The Mustang II was a stretched Pinto with a sleeker hatch and slightly longer hood. Her sample had four on the floor, so she bought it and then told her dad she needed him to go with her to get the car so he could drive it over to the parking lot at the beach to teach her how to drive stick. He drove it there. She drove it home. She ended up with a skill few people have anymore.
The Pinto was a sturdy little car that lived up to the promise of cheap to fix and cheap to drive. I remember actual mpg - in the hands of real owners - listed the Pinto at almost twice the real world MPG of the Vega and Gremlin.

 

The wind did help me a bit on the way home yesterday. 52.6 mpg.

Today it is 41 deg F in Naperville, 42 in Elk Grove.

Wind NNW 9
light rain

35.2 miles, fcd = 50.0 MPG

 

It's 46F over here, with NW wind at maybe a few mph. The 18.2 mile trip ended at 59.4mpg. Still around half a tank and it has been a while since I filled up.

 

I filled up on Sep 2 in Chesterton, IN. Yes, I buy fuel 75 miles away from home.

 

Today it is 39 deg F in Naperville and 38 in Elk Grove.

Wind NW 8

33.4 miles, fcd = 49.2 MPG

Yesterday I got 52.0 on the way home, so overall it was above 50 for the day.
I think I will report round trips from now on. I typically get better fuel economy
on the way home ; it's warmer then and no highway.
Going to Bolingbrook after work to see my daughter and her family. It's pretty much
all south on IL Rte 53. This tank is at 51.1 mpg so far, probably filling up Friday AM.

 

I do that with a between-the-ears calculation at the end of the day. Yesterday was 59.4 morning and 76.8 evening, so about 68 for the day.
I have been working late so traffic has been lighter for the evening drive. Fewer beep-n-creep miles means lower trip averages, but they're still comfortably in the 70s (like most of my wardrobe) so I won't complain. Warmer weather and traffic brings the 80s to the fcd, and I am always happy to see that. Considering the time of year, I may not have real warmth for a while.

 

Hey, if it was good enough for Starsky and Hutch, good enough for me.

 

Today it is 34 deg F in Naperville, 36 in Elk Grove.

Wind SE 3

33.4 miles, fcd = 50.2 MPG.

 

A good tailwind, but more likely you were in the zone, Edwin.