Recent content by gra

The fair way to handle road use taxes is to base them on max. axle (or even tire if duals or more) weight multiplied by some fixed value/mile. No rebates. Note this only is for road infrastructure - you handle the effects of pollution through a separate gas or carbon tax. PEVs, being somewhat...

Dont have time to read it right now, but if you want some basic comparison data, here's a good place to start: http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/types_of_lithium_ion I'm a fan of LiFePO4 over LMO; NMC remains unproven over the long term at the moment, and we'll have to see if it holds...

Updated the first post with the number of U.S. CHAdeMO reported as of today (1,306).

To see if you need DCQC, or just want it, you might want to read the first post of this thread: http://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3643

Note that the instructions above are slightly out of date, as Plugshare modified CCS so it appears under the "High Power Stations" listing, so uncheck all boxes except that one (and "In-use Stations", if you wish), before going into "More Options" and deselecting everything except "SAE Combo...

Per Plugshare I've updated the total # of CCS in the U.S. and Canada, as well as their location by state/province in the first post of this thread, current through today.

I know I recommended the OP lease in an earlier post, but a 72 mile commute, if done 5 days a week will total 360 miles/week, so if zanzabar88's wife commutes 48 weeks a year that's 17,280 miles annually just for the commute, with no miles using the car for anything else. The OP would need a...

The OP is correct in that it's more energy efficient to stop charging when the charge rate begins to taper strongly. This is due to the more or less fixed power overhead that goes to charger and power electronics cooling regardless of the charge rate. I don't have exact figures for the Spark...

My most recent prior post erroneously contained a generic search link, rather than the one below, which contains an account of an owner taking his car back to the dealership and having them undo the deal owing to the lack of QC and inability to retrofit it. I've corrected the prior post, but to...

As was to be expected, there's lobbying underway to prevent them from doing so, from Chargepoint and probably other charging providers, plus consumer advocacy groups like TURN.

Agree that the lack of charging status indication standardization is a problem. as for the rest, investing in something like this http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1098003_electric-car-do-not-unplug-notices-public-education-at-its-best would at least separate the clueless from the selfish...

There have been cases where buyers got the dealership to take the car back owing to misrepresentation on their part re QC. Search for posts dating from 2013 or early 2014 re. quick charging. [Edit]: http://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3408

Judging by your mileage you have a 2014, which has a larger battery and a taller final drive ratio than the 2015, and as a result gets better range at highway cruising speeds. The 2015 is lighter and, with a shorter final drive ratio, is more efficient around town. IIRR, when Tony Williams...

Remember that your car is still new. Give the battery a year or two of degradation and you'll be struggling to make trips you can easily do now.

60 mph isn't a threshold, it's just that any amount you slow down (down to ludicrously low speeds) will be more efficient. For example, the LEAF's max. efficiency is at a constant 12 mph, which no one is going to do voluntarily (although one LEAF owner set what's still the distance record for...