Smokey the Bear drives a LEAF

Posted on November 12, 2012 by jpwhitehome

I came across an interesting video on Youtube. It’s a story of how the black bear solar institute in the smoky mountains in Tennessee have installed 24 EV charging stations at key points around the national park to encourage EV adoption.

The EV charging stations are known as the Green Gateway and are focused predominantly around Townsend TN. The location of charging stations can be seen on the official map of Blink charging stations.

Charging Stations at the Smoky Mountains TN

Pigeon Forge and Gatlingburg have also installed a good number of charging stations, for a total of 46 close to the Tennessee Park Entrance. What would be nice to see is charging stations at the Sugarlands visitor center inside the park and at the Clingman’s Dome parking lot

With quick charging stations along I-40 from Nashville to Knoxville a trip to the park with our LEAF is within the realms of possibility!!

 

 

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LEAF owners help others during Sandy aftermath

Posted on November 10, 2012 by jpwhitehome

When the LEAF first started to sell, I remember reading on discussion forums that the LEAF made no sense, “Just wait until there is a major storm and you are without electric for a week or more”.

Varun Bhatia in his all-electric Nissan LEAF passing gasoline station on Long Island, New York.

Hurricane Sandy has left many without electric and gasoline supplies are being rationed and lines forming even at 2am to get gas. Some LEAF owners have found they are better off with an electric vehicle than those with just gasoline vehicles.

One LEAF owner in Maryland powered his refrigerator and coffee maker using his LEAF’s battery power. View the video here.

Another LEAF owner in Long Island NY has driven over 300 miles to help friends in need, watch a video and read about his story here.

Owning an Electric car and also a Gasoline car means you are no longer dependant upon one fuel source to get around anymore. If electric is in short supply drive your gasoline car, if gasoline is in short supply, drive your electric car.

Here is another story regarding the gas shortages during the power outages in New Jersey.

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LEAF salesman knows how to sell EV’s

Posted on October 29, 2012 by jpwhitehome

A LEAF car salesman Paul Scott in LA California is making a mark as a super LEAF salesperson. It helps to be selling the LEAF in California where gas prices are high, however Paul uses several innovative ways to attract customers to the LEAF.

First and foremost, Paul owns his own LEAF and talks from experience and not a brochure or training guide!! Second he takes his LEAF to ‘Test Drive’ events at local businesses with 100 or more employees and offers employees to take a 15 minutes test drive in an EV. He gets other brands of EV’s to go to these events as well. He truly wants to get drivers into an EV, any EV and not shoehorn them into a  LEAF if that isn’t the right EV for their unique circumstance or commute distance.

Watch a video of Paul talk about his test drive events

I wish Paul was the salesperson to sell me my LEAF, I’m sure the process would have been smoother.

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(Little) Hitler alive and well at Radnor Lake State Park

Posted on October 21, 2012 by jpwhitehome

No Parking, even for EV’s

“No Sir”, said the kind staff member at Radnor Lake State Park Visitor Center, “You cannot park your LEAF in either of the EV spaces, they are not working”. While the state of the charging stations was regrettable, I was merely seeking permission to park. I was concerned by the “Tow Away Zone” signs in the spaces. Sunday was a very popular day at Radnor, it was a really beautiful day and we had queued for over 10 minutes waiting to get into the parking lot with little hope a space opening up. Lo and behold there were two empty spaces for EV’s. Yippee!!

After a brief conversation, the staff member was kind enough to call the Ranger on a walkie talkie and asked on my behalf. No was the answer. She explained I did in fact have an electric vehicle. The answer was still no.

No Parking Except for Electric Vehicle Charging reads the signs, and they mean it. Literally!!

Continue reading →

Posted in Blink, Customer Service, Electric Car, Level 2 EV Charger, Nissan LEAF | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Third McDonald’s in Hendersonville gets EV Charging Stations

Posted on October 7, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Click to Enlarge

All the McDonald’s in Hendersonville now have EV Charging Stations. The other two McDonald’s were the first businesses to get EV Charging stations in Hendersonville.

Click to Enlarge

This time last year placement of the chargers was performed in premium parking spaces without clear signage. As a result Continue reading →

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There are Leaves on my LEAF!

Posted on September 30, 2012 by jpwhitehome

A storm event last week caused a lot of leaves to fall off a tree I parked close to at work.

Leaves on my LEAF!!

Leaves on my LEAF, whatever next?

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ICE’d EV charging space hall of shame

Posted on September 25, 2012 by jpwhitehome

I’ve decided to start a photographic hall of shame for ICE’d EV spaces here in Tennessee, to at least document the problem. An EV parking space is considered ‘ICE’d’ when a conventional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle occupies a space set aside for EV’s.

October 8th 2011 – McDonald’s Hendersonville. Both spaces taken!!

September 25th 2012 – Holiday Inn Vanderbilt, Nashville TN. One space taken. Spaces well marked.

January 6th 2013 - Cracker Barrel Hendersonville TN

January 6th 2013 – Cracker Barrel Hendersonville TN

January 6th 2013 - McDonald's Hendersonville TN. Bot spaces taken again! The red car parked as I was getting ready to take the photo :-)

January 6th 2013 – McDonald’s Hendersonville TN. Bot spaces taken again! The red car parked as I was getting ready to take the photo 🙂

Lexus Luxury Car feels Entitled - Click to Enlarge

Lexus Luxury Car feels Entitled – Click to Enlarge

 

Juke ICE'd Quick Charge unit at Newton Nissan

Juke ICE’d Quick Charge unit at Newton Nissan

Horror of Horrors. A Prius ICE's an EV charging space!!

Horror of Horrors. A Prius ICE’s an EV charging space!!

Mini Van blocks the way. The red mini van is disabled in a disabled spot. Gave him a pass.

Mini Van blocks the way. The red SUV is disabled in a disabled spot. Gave him a pass.

 

This guy just Cruzed into the EV space

This guy just couldn’t find another space (Near the entrance)

Yep, Yukon SUV gets close to the door.

Yep, Yukon SUV gets close to the door, Sonic sneaks in as well.

Elantra parks mst of day in this spot

Elantra parks most of day in this spot

You may find yourself edged out of a spot.

You may find yourself edged out of a spot.

Dodge Charger from Florida.

Dodge Charger from Florida.

 

Posted in Blink, Electric Car, Level 2 EV Charger | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Free Blink Charging Sites in Tennessee

Posted on September 23, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Click to Enlarge

As of September 1st 2012, Blink Networks started to charge Blink Charging Station users a fee. This ranges from $1/hr to $2/hr depending on your ‘membership level’. Some site owners have elected to keep their charging stations free rather than levy such a  fee. This post highlights Continue reading →

Posted in Blink, ChargePoint, Electric Car, Level 2 EV Charger, Level 3 EV Charger, Nissan LEAF | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Charging away from home – cables and adapters for the EV driver

Posted on September 20, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Cable and Adapter collection – Click to Enlarge

As a new EV driver one seldom drives further than half the total vehicle range, i.e. you can go to and fro from your destination without having to charge the vehicle. With increased confidence as to how far the vehicle will go on a single charge, you find yourself venturing past ‘the point of no return’ where a remote charge is necessary to complete your journey.

Some downtown areas have plenty of choices when it comes to EV charging. More remote and rural destinations may require one Continue reading →

Posted in Electric Car, Level 2 EV Charger, Nissan LEAF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Montgomery Bell State Park adds EV Chargers

Posted on September 18, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Click to Enlarge

Montgomery Bell State Park has added two Blink Electric Vehicle charging stations near to the Inn and Restaurant. The units are located just past the Inn’s main entrance. The State Park has been chosen as the first in Tennessee to create a greener footprint on the world. Adding EV charging stations is congruent to that goal.

Blink Network Map showing Montgomery Bell State Park – Click to Enlarge

The installation looks very new and the charging stations were not Continue reading →

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