The Muskegon EV Guy

 [Updated 3/18/2023 to include Newsletter #9] I joined the  Consumers Energy  Electric Vehicle Programs team in January, so I have been focusing my education and outreach efforts in that direction rather than this blog.  One of the new outreach methods is an EV e-Newsletter that is being sent via e-mail to a select group of Consumers Energy EV customers such as those who have received rebates from the  PowerMIDrive  program.  However they are in the public domain and have been shared via social media.   While Consumers Energy does have web pages dedicated to EVs , the e-Newsletters have not been linked there yet.  While we work on making updates to the content of those EV web pages, here are the links to the back issues.  New!  Issue #9 - March 2023 In this issue, we highlight some tips on how to maximize your tax refund if you bought an EV during 2022, help you find overnight accommodations around Michigan with EV charging, meet the driver of a Rivian R1T pickup truck that doubles as

  Drive Electric Earth Day 2021 – Muskegon, MI – April 24, 2021 Register on the official DEED Event Page so we can get a vehicle and people count! Please follow the 2021 DEED COVID-19 Requirements: driveelectricearthday.org/event-safety Face masks are required. Attendees should stay at least six feet apart. Only people within the same household should be in a vehicle at the same time. Rally Itinerary: For those who prefer the addresses in text format to copy and paste: Location Name Address (Google Maps link) Arrival Time Hangout Time Depart Time Meijer Muskegon Lakes Mall 5300 Harvey St. Muskegon, MI 49444 9:00 AM 1:00 10:00 AM Meijer Holland 746 E 16th St Holland, MI 49423 10:45 AM 0:30 11:15 AM Meijer Cascade 5531 28th St SE Grand Rapids, MI 49512 12:00 PM 1:00 1:00 PM Meijer Express Gas Station 2988 Walker Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49544 1:30 PM 0:30 2:00 PM Meijer Muskegon Lakes Mall 5300 Harvey St. Muskegon, MI 49444 2:45 PM 1:15 4:00 PM Note Rally Arrival and Departure Times. C

Range tests at highway speeds do not give a complete picture of the road trip worthiness of the vehicle.  Not if your trip is longer than the single-charge range.  At highway speeds.  In the winter.  Let's use a recent EV market entry as an example for the good ol' American road trip? PlugShare Trip Planner:  Single Charge Ideal Road Trip A December 14, 2020 article from Green Car Reports tested the soon-to-be-released Ford Mustang Mach-E at highway speeds.  The manufacturer's overall range estimate of 270 miles sounds impressive, but does not hold up under continuous highway speed use.  According to the article, the expected highway range of the Mach-E would be closer to 219 miles.   The average reader might take away that the car can comfortably travel about 219 miles between charges.  Divide by a 70 MPH average highway speed and we get a cruising time of just over 3 hours before the car needs to be charged again. That scenario will likely never happen.    Road trips lo