Cracker Barrel chooses NRG/eVgo EV Quick Chargers for Texas

Posted on June 15, 2012 by jpwhitehome

eVgo QC unveiled at Desoto Dallas TX Cracker Barrel.

Despite installing a dozen Blink Networks Quick chargers in Tennessee, including its Lebanon TN flagship store, Cracker Barrel have chosen NRG Energies eVgo quick charging stations and network for four Texas Cracker Barrel locations in Dallas TX with more to come.

Arun Banskoter, President of NRG Energy delivers an address at QC opening ceremony.

Cracker Barrel did not reveal the reason for the departure from Blink Networks as their EV charging partner in their recent press release. One wonders Continue reading →

Posted in Blink, Electric Car, eVgo, Level 2 EV Charger, Level 3 EV Charger, Nissan LEAF, Opinion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hendersonville City Hall installs two Blink EV Car Charging Stations

Posted on June 2, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Hendersonville City Hall

It’s great to see Hendersonville City Hall install two electric car charging stations. It looks like it may be a week or so before they are operational. Hendersonville have committed to placing charging stations at a dozen or more locations in Hendersonville. To see where Continue reading →

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

Franklin quick charge a success

Posted on May 31, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Franklin QC

In May of 2012 Nissan installed a new quick charge station at their US headquarters in Franklin TN. I had need to be in Franklin so decided to take the LEAF for a 101 mile round trip from home to work to Franklin and back home. Without a reliable quick charge station at my destination the trip would not Continue reading →

Posted in Blink, Electric Car, Level 2 EV Charger, Level 3 EV Charger, Nissan LEAF | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Joe the coal miner gets $150 more, Ahmed the terrorist gets $140 less.

Posted on May 26, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Dirty Coal Fuels my car. And I’m proud of it!

A common criticism of Electric Vehicles is that most of the electric is generated by coal. Some see this as a big negative, however I welcome this statistic and here’s why.

I’ve driven 10,713 miles since getting my LEAF. I analyzed where my electric dollars go to versus where they would have gone had I Continue reading →

Posted in Electric Car, Nissan LEAF, Opinion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gallatin McDonald’s gets an EV charging station

Posted on May 21, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Click to enlarge

Just like Hendersonville, Gallatin now has a McDonald’s that tends to the needs to EV owners in addition to Cracker Barrel. It’s the McDonald’s opposite Vol State Community College. The Blink charger has the latest firmware that requires both an RFID card (as before) and now your zip code to activate the charger. The display is in bright sun, so reading the display is challenging especially while wearing sunglasses.

View of Drive Through Lane – Click to enlarge

I got a successful charge on my first attempt and was able to cool the vehicle prior to setting off 46 minutes later. The location isn’t obvious, I had to circle the building twice to find it nestled between the building and the drive through lane. During busy periods gaining access to the charger and reversing out of the space won’t be easy. The first time around the building I could not see the unit because of drive through traffic.

The good news is that it works and is another choice I have for a quick boost on my way too and fro from work.

Posted in Blink, Electric Car, Level 2 EV Charger, Nissan LEAF | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Pheonix LEAF owners report battery degredation already

Posted on May 13, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Driving Range Gauge

On the MyNissanLEAF.com owners forum two Pheonix, Arizona LEAF owners have reported losing 15% of their battery capacity after just over a year of ownership. The owners share the following. They both live in the Pheonix area and they both charge their vehicle to 100% capacity most of the time.

Forum user ‘azdre‘ reported the degradation occurring on the vehicles battery gauge on the dashboard at Continue reading →

Posted in Electric Car, Nissan LEAF | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Charge time from empty – 3 3/4 hours

Posted on May 13, 2012 by jpwhitehome

It is often quoted by the press and Nissan themselves that a Nissan LEAF can take up to 7 hours to charge from empty using a 240v power source. As I’ve used the vehicle I have come to the conclusion that such a time estimate is very conservative and that charge times are shorter.

Last night after arriving home from a trip to Nashville the car displayed a low battery warning and was flashing just 5 miles of range Continue reading →

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

Test drive – Mitsubishi i-Miev

Posted on May 5, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Click to enlarge

I found out via Plugshare that our local Mitsubishi dealer has installed a EV charging station. I dropped by to see if they’d let me use it and talk to them about the upcoming Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

I arrived before any salesmen did and got the LEAF charging. I noticed there were 4 i-Miev’s on the lot ready for sale, how come Nissan can’t supply this quantity of LEAF’s to dealers?

As I was in the process of adding the charging station to carstations.com via my smart phone a young salesman came down Continue reading →

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

Is this Nissan’s pace car? I hope not

Posted on April 26, 2012 by jpwhitehome

Nissan’s Official Vehicle for the Country Music Marathon.
Click to enlarge

I went to pickup my St. Jude’s Country Music Marathon number and other items today in Nashville, TN. Outside the Convention Center I spotted an official Nissan vehicle. Nissan are sponsoring the St. Jude’s Country Music Marathon this year.

The ‘official vehicle’ is a Nissan Versa. I would have hoped they would be promoting the LEAF in style. It is certainly capable of running 26.2 miles and without using any gas, but a Versa? One hopes they have a better vehicle set aside to pace the race this Saturday. If not a LEAF the 2013 Altima?

Update: After the race I have spotted pictures of the LEAF pace car online. I also saw a LEAF parked on the ‘nude roundabout’ on music row as I went around the half marathon course. I cramped at mile 12 and couldn’t release the cramp, but did manage to limp over the finish line.

Pace Car – Click to enlarge

Posted in Electric Car, Nissan LEAF | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

EV Charger Grant Funds bypass workplace?

Posted on April 22, 2012 by jpwhitehome

An Achilles heel of many electric vehicles is the limited range they provide making them inappropriate for 75% of the driving population. Ironically the drivers who stand to benefit the most from the electric vehicle’s low running cost (the high mileage drivers) are least likely to be able to make use of an EV due to its limited range.

If vehicle range could be doubled many more drivers could take advantage of the technology. There *is* a simple way to double EV car ranges Continue reading →

Posted in Blink, Cost Benefit, Electric Car, Level 2 EV Charger, Level 3 EV Charger, Nissan LEAF, Opinion | Tagged , | Leave a comment