#388 Listen to Her
We learn to listen to Georgia and, we discuss vanadium flow batteries, electric buses, Tesla FSD and more.
00:00 Show Start
04:10 Solar has Become the Cheapest Energy Source
13:55 Vanadium Flow Batteries
21:50 This Week in Tesla
29:40 Electric School Buses
45:20 Vote Because your Rights Depend on It
58:00 Shout Outs and Go Home
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#385 Tail Gating on the Moon
This week, we talk about the ongoing Nikola saga, solid state batteries in Mercedes buses, This Week in Tesla with new catchy theme music, Plastic eating enzymes, a cheap EV in China, and Toyota’s Lunar Cruiser.
00:00 Show Start 05:15 New Allegations with Nikola Motors
13:00 Mercedes Introduces Solid State Battery Buses
20:05 This Week in Tesla
28:55 Plastic Eating Enzymes
40:30 A $5,000 EV in China 49:25 Toyota’s Mars Rover
54:10 Shout Outs and Go Home
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batteries, battery, bus, china, EV, LE, nikola motors, solid-state, Tesla, Toyota
#380 In 2025, I Promise
00:00 Intros
04:13 – Hybrids, Plug-ins, and EVs
25:15 – Xos Raises $20 Million to Scale Production
32:30 – This Week in Tesla
37:05 – Toyota Solid-State Batteries
43:15 – Tritium Fast Charger
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batteries, EV, hybrid, LE, Plug-in, solid-state, Tesla, Toyota
#367 Tried and Died
- General Motors and LG Chem have formed a joint venture to create batteries for EVs. They are calling it Ultium. The factory will be in Lordstown, OH. It’s expected to employ more than 1,000 people. This could be a really big thing. Here’s hoping.
- Toyota introduced two new hybrids to their fleet: Venza and Sienna.
- Russell just finished spending a week with the 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. There are things he really liked. And then there are other things.
- In case you didn’t know, Dyson (yes, the vacuum company) announced a while ago that they were developing an electric vehicle. After actually creating a very nice looking prototype, they have announced that they are abandoning the effort. Reportedly, Dyson realized there was no way to manufacture and price the car such that it would be even remotely profitable. Let’s hope they continue the idea and work on a lower-priced car they can bring to market.
- GM had created an e-Bike called the Ariv (pronounced ‘arrive’). They had a standard version and a folding version. Sure it looks a little quirky, but in a time when e-bikes are seeing a huge uptick in sales, GM kills theirs.
- We’re about more than just vehicles. We like the whole circular lifestyle of generating your own electricity, storing it in your own batteries, and using that electricity to power your house and/or charge your car. However, far too many utility companies few residents with solar panels as competition. They work very hard to make going solar difficult and fins ways to punish the homeowner after the panels are installed. We decided to take a little time and talk about how utilities companies can be real jerks.
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2020, batteries, Car, e-bike, electric, EV, General Motors, gm, hybrid, LE, LED, solar, Toyota, Vehicles
#349 Whose Data is it, Anyway?
In this week’s show:
1) The current NTSB requirements for black box data is woefully short of all the data required to determine the actual situation of a modern-day crash. Manufacturers are not required to hand over additional data. Should owners be able to pull the data themselves to turn over to the police? Should they be able to pull data from a used car prior to purchasing it?
2) Tesla’s stock has soared recently to the point that the company is now valuated higher than GM and Ford, combined! It doesn’t help that Ford and GM have seen their own valuations dropping in the recent months.
3) The Boring Company’s 0.8 mile tunnel is completed under Las Vegas between convention centers. It’s likely not going to reach 140mph like previously advertised, it might use skates to move cars or not. Details are few and far between.
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autonomous, batteries, battery, boring company, bus, Car, CBC, Charging, concept, Convenience, Cyber Truck, Cybertruck, Diesel, Eco, Efficiency, electric, elon, elon musk, Employees, epa, EV, eVolution, FICA, Ford, FSD, fuel cell, Full Self Drive, General Motors, gm, Government, Gratification, hybrid, ID.3, id3, Incentives, las vegas, LE, Lexus, LimePod, lyft, Micromobility, mobility, Model S, model X, motorcycle, nissan, Oregon, Plug-in, porsche, Portland, Range Anxiety, RAV-4, RAV4, review, robots, rv, RVing, Software, solar, Starlink, tax, Tax Credit, Technology, Tesla, the boring company, Toyota, Tracking, TriMet, trump, tunnel, update, Updates, volkswagen
#348 Dieselgate Saves VW
This week:
1) States face roadblocks on path to lower tailpipe emissions.
2) BMW remains committed to ICE cars for at least 30 more years.
3) The Prius is no longer Toyota’s top-selling hybrid.
4) Sony shocks CES by unveiling a car.
5) The Fisker Ocean might actually be areal thing.
6) Tesla’s Gigafactory 4 has to tread lightly in the forest.
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autonomous, batteries, battery, BMW, bus, Car, CBC, Charging, concept, Convenience, Cyber Truck, Cybertruck, Diesel, dieselgate, Eco, Efficiency, electric, elon, elon musk, emissions, Employees, epa, EV, eVolution, FICA, FSD, fuel cell, Full Self Drive, General Motors, gigafactory, gm, Government, Gratification, hybrid, ID.3, id3, Incentives, LE, Lexus, LimePod, lyft, Micromobility, mobility, Model S, model X, motorcycle, nissan, Oregon, Plug-in, porsche, Portland, Prius, Range Anxiety, RAV-4, RAV4, review, robots, rv, RVing, Software, solar, Starlink, tax, Tax Credit, Technology, Tesla, Toyota, Tracking, TriMet, trump, update, Updates, volkswagen, VW, What Drives Us
audio only,What Drives Us episode
# 347 Robot Replacements
1) Tony reviewed the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Be sure to check out his two separate reviews:
Ride-along review: https://youtu.be/ed4CUB73QWE
Walk-around review: https://youtu.be/hty_KFkWZMY
2) At the beginning of the 2010s, Lithium-Ion batteries were projected to herald in the era of the electric vehicle. We discuss accessibility of battery components and the drop in prices.
3) Volkswagen has released conceptual animations of very cute little battery charging robots. You park your car anywhere in a parking garage and the robots will not only bring a mobile battery pack, the pack will plug itself into your car.
4) December saw a flurry of Tesla software updates. We pick them apart.
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autonomous, batteries, battery, bus, Car, CBC, Charging, concept, Convenience, Cyber Truck, Cybertruck, Diesel, Eco, Efficiency, electric, elon, elon musk, Employees, epa, EV, eVolution, FICA, FSD, fuel cell, Full Self Drive, General Motors, gm, Government, Gratification, hybrid, ID.3, id3, Incentives, LE, Lexus, LimePod, lyft, Micromobility, mobility, Model S, model X, motorcycle, nissan, Oregon, Plug-in, porsche, Portland, Range Anxiety, RAV-4, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, review, robots, rv, RVing, Software, solar, Starlink, tax, Tax Credit, Technology, Tesla, Toyota, Tracking, TriMet, trump, update, Updates, volkswagen, What Drives Us
audio only,What Drives Us episode
#346 Last Episode of 2019
In this, the final episode of 2019, we discuss:
1) The environmental impact of our instant gratification economy. Is it better or worse when we can order almost any amount of almost anything online and have it delivered to our house?
2) The US House passed a new spending bill that extends credits for EV chargers, motorcycles, and fuel cells but fails to extend credits for EV cars. Also, coal plants owned by Native Americans are subsidized.
3) The E-RV is a pretty awesome 5th Wheel camper that has a huge battery for full off-the-grid living. The battery can be recharged by plugging in, solar on the roof, and/or regeneration while being towed.
4) Portland, Oregon, is really stepping up their mass transit game by implementing impressive measures with their Trimet system. From green buses to renewable diesel and free rides for minors, this is mass transit done right.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (62.0MB)
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autonomous, batteries, battery, bus, CBC, Convenience, Cyber Truck, Cybertruck, Diesel, Eco, Efficiency, electric, elon, elon musk, Employees, EV, eVolution, FICA, FSD, fuel cell, Full Self Drive, General Motors, gm, Government, Gratification, hybrid, ID.3, id3, Incentives, LE, Lexus, LimePod, lyft, Micromobility, mobility, Model S, model X, motorcycle, nissan, Oregon, Plug-in, porsche, Portland, Range Anxiety, RAV-4, rv, RVing, solar, Starlink, tax, Tax Credit, Technology, Toyota, Tracking, TriMet, trump, What Drives Us
audio only,What Drives Us episode
#346: Last Episode of 2019
In this, the final episode of 2019, we discuss:
1) The environmental impact of our instant gratification economy. Is it better or worse when we can order almost any amount of almost anything online and have it delivered to our house?
2) The US House passed a new spending bill that extends credits for EV chargers, motorcycles, and fuel cells but fails to extend credits for EV cars. Also, coal plants owned by Native Americans are subsidized.
3) The E-RV is a pretty awesome 5th Wheel camper that has a huge battery for full off-the-grid living. The battery can be recharged by plugging in, solar on the roof, and/or regeneration while being towed.
4) Portland, Oregon, is really stepping up their mass transit game by implementing impressive measures with their Trimet system. From green buses to renewable diesel and free rides for minors, this is mass transit done right.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (67.5MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS | More
2019, autonomous, batteries, battery, bus, Car, CBC, Convenience, Cyber Truck, Cybertruck, Diesel, Eco, Efficiency, electric, elon, elon musk, Employees, EV, eVolution, FICA, FSD, fuel cell, Full Self Drive, General Motors, gm, Government, Gratification, hybrid, ID.3, id3, Incentives, LE, Lexus, LimePod, lyft, Micromobility, mobility, Model S, model X, motorcycle, nissan, Oregon, Plug-in, porsche, Portland, Range Anxiety, RAV-4, rv, RVing, solar, Starlink, tax, Tax Credit, Technology, Toyota, Tracking, TriMet, trump, What Drives Us
audio only,What Drives Us episode
#345: Cheaper To Go Green Than Brown
We wrap up the Tesla lawsuit, Kacey talks about his hardware upgrade from Tesla for FSD, new energy storage methods and whether or not Starlink satellites are a curse to astronomers. All that and more!
CBC Videos:
https://youtu.be/inhyl3lMslA
https://youtu.be/9IngBHuwBoM
https://youtube/P63ZKVOC8vM
https://youtu.be/sUriPl497YE
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autonomous, batteries, battery, CBC, Cyber Truck, Cybertruck, Efficiency, electric, elon, elon musk, Employees, EV, eVolution, FICA, FSD, Full Self Drive, General Motors, gm, hybrid, ID.3, id3, law, laws, Lexus, LimePod, lyft, Micromobility, mobility, Model S, model X, nissan, Plug-in, porsche, Range Anxiety, RAV-4, Starlink, Technology, Tesla, Toyota, Tracking, trump, What Drives Us