Motor Trend Car of the Year again

[Bunnylebowski]

This is a pretty great last paragraph: “Even more so than when we bestowed that title eight months ago, the GTP model sets the bar for all other EVs, from its already incredible range to its newly transcendent handling. If you're the chief EV engineer at a rival automaker, get your order in now and prepare your benchmarking and teardown teams. You all have work to do.”

2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance First Test Review: The Code Is Cracked!

Making EVs fast is easy. Making them drive like sports cars is hard. Lucid’s done both.

www.motortrend.com

 

[EVCar]

I only wish MT, CR, or somebody do a thorough review of EA and other charging station and let us know what the real state of affairs is.

 

[Ksa23]

I dont see where Lucid was given car of the year again on here, though?

 

[hydbob]

I only wish MT, CR, or somebody do a thorough review of EA and other charging station and let us know what the real state of affairs is.

The problem is it varies so widely and that is also part of the problem. It shouldn't vary and it's all anecdotal. What we really need is EA to publish station uptime stats

 

[dcontorno]

This is a pretty great last paragraph: “Even more so than when we bestowed that title eight months ago, the GTP model sets the bar for all other EVs, from its already incredible range to its newly transcendent handling. If you're the chief EV engineer at a rival automaker, get your order in now and prepare your benchmarking and teardown teams. You all have work to do.”

2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance First Test Review: The Code Is Cracked!

Making EVs fast is easy. Making them drive like sports cars is hard. Lucid’s done both.

www.motortrend.com

All the pros are hardware based. All the cons are software based. So the odds are in our favor!

 

[HC_79]

I only wish MT, CR, or somebody do a thorough review of EA and other charging station and let us know what the real state of affairs is.

I contacted numerous media outlets to run a story on how abysmal EA was and none of them got back to me. NBC LA even did a story about charging showing EA locations yet when I reached out to the reporter and said they should investigate EA for poor performance again, just silence. I would have thought that a media outlet would take joy in putting the pressure on a large company like VW and calling them out but clearly not.

I've even contacted my local representatives to look into them given the network was funded from a fine and they've delivered shit. as of today, complete silence from everyone. I think the only person who has given them some flack is Kyle Conner but then when he interviews them he seems to go soft or believes the bullshit they're feeding him. He can't even use the EA charger near his house as even though it's a 350Kw it's amp limited so can't actually deliver 350Kw so he drives further to an EVGo charger that actually works and delivers the speed as stated.

 

[EVCar]

I contacted numerous media outlets to run a story on how abysmal EA was and none of them got back to me. NBC LA even did a story about charging showing EA locations yet when I reached out to the reporter and said they should investigate EA for poor performance again, just silence. I would have thought that a media outlet would take joy in putting the pressure on a large company like VW and calling them out but clearly not.

I've even contacted my local representatives to look into them given the network was funded from a fine and they've delivered shit. as of today, complete silence from everyone. I think the only person who has given them some flack is Kyle Conner but then when he interviews them he seems to go soft or believes the bullshit they're feeding him. He can't even use the EA charger near his house as even though it's a 350Kw it's amp limited so can't actually deliver 350Kw so he drives further to an EVGo charger that actually works and delivers the speed as stated.

Well, maybe a university professor can assign a grad student to look into getting a grant from the feds, say Buttigieg, to assess the status of EV charging infrastructure and its impact on national economy and security (and pissed off Lucid owners ) This can be someone's master's thesis.

 

[hmp10]

I would have thought that a media outlet would take joy in putting the pressure on a large company like VW and calling them out but clearly not.

Electrify America is a separate company from VW and is neither owned by them nor a subsidiary. VW was required to fund EA to the tune of $2 billion as part of a settlement agreement with the U.S. to avoid criminal prosecution for the diesel emissions scandal, but they were careful to avoid management control of the EA.

 

[Rob Stark]

Electrify America is a separate company from VW and is neither owned by them nor a subsidiary. VW was required to fund EA to the tune of $2 billion as part of a settlement agreement with the U.S. to avoid criminal prosecution for the diesel emissions scandal, but they were careful to avoid management control of the EA.

EA behavior is supervised by US Court that approved the Dieselgate settlement. EA can't discriminate against non VW Group brands.
It has accepted other obligations like installing chargers in poor communities.

But it is a subsidiary of VW Group of America. Recently, Siemens invested in EA and has a minority share.

 

[hmp10]

Thanks for the correction. I thought I had read somewhere that VW had extricated itself completely from management of EA.

 

[epradox]

EA can't discriminate against non VW Group brands.
It has accepted other obligations like installing chargers in poor communities.

oh interesting I didnt realize that was part of their deal with the government. Wonder if thats why they partnered with Walmart? Actually pretty smart if they make Walmarts 24/7 again. Ideal place to charge, use the restroom, shop and go during overnight/late night trips

 

[Rob Stark]

oh interesting I didnt realize that was part of their deal with the government. Wonder if thats why they partnered with Walmart? Actually pretty smart if they make Walmarts 24/7 again. Ideal place to charge, use the restroom, shop and go during overnight/late night trips

Why does a deal with the Feds imply a deal with Walmart?

Walmart: No plans to make stores 24/7 again

The ability to shop during overnight hours was a staple at many Walmart stores prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

www.wtvy.com

Retailers and restaurants are having a tough time finding enough employees. My guess is Walmart won't consider returning to 24/7 until labor markets return to normal. As opposed to now where fear of catching COVID makes potential employees demand a big premium over minimum wage to work retail.

 

[Fischman]

Here’s What Siemens’ $450M Stake in Electrify America Will Bring

Siemens is investing $450 million in Volkswagen's Electrify America. Here's what the charging network has in the works for the next few years.

www.autoweek.com

 

[epradox]

Why does a deal with the Feds imply a deal with Walmart?

Walmart: No plans to make stores 24/7 again

The ability to shop during overnight hours was a staple at many Walmart stores prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

www.wtvy.com

Retailers and restaurants are having a tough time finding enough employees. My guess is Walmart won't consider returning to 24/7 until labor markets return to normal. As opposed to now where fear of catching COVID makes potential employees demand a big premium over minimum wage to work retail.

I'm not really trying to make a sleight against walmart (I also shop there plenty) but they do tend to cater their products/pricing toward lower income communities so would make sense to have charging stations there if there was some agreement to serve, as you said, poor communities. Otherwise im not really sure what else they would do as I think the chargers should be attached to some sort of complex with food and shopping. Would be weird to just have stand alone chargers in the middle of nowhere in poor communities with no amenities

 

[Rob Stark]

I'm not really trying to make a sleight against walmart (I also shop there plenty) but they do tend to cater their products/pricing toward lower income communities so would make sense to have charging stations there if there was some agreement to serve, as you said, poor communities. Otherwise im not really sure what else they would do as I think the chargers should be attached to some sort of complex with food and shopping. Would be weird to just have stand alone chargers in the middle of nowhere in poor communities with no amenities

Walmart started by placing their stores in rural communities, which tend to be poor.

Today, Walmart is everywhere save very wealthy communities. They have saturated middle class America to such a degree they launched international expansion long ago.

My hometown of Torrance,CA has a Ferrari and Porsche dealership, a Lucid and Tesla store. And a Walmart, a neighborhood market Walmart, a Walmart Supercenter, and a Sam's Club. There are some people that can afford to shop at Whole Foods but chose not to.

EA is also at Target, shopping malls and some stand along stations near fast food/shopping districts.

 

[hydbob]

Walmart started by placing their stores in rural communities, which tend to be poor.

Today, Walmart is everywhere save very wealthy communities. They have saturated middle class America to such a degree they launched international expansion long ago.

My hometown of Torrance,CA has a Ferrari and Porsche dealership, a Lucid and Tesla store. And a Walmart, a neighborhood market Walmart, a Walmart Supercenter, and a Sam's Club. There are some people that can afford to shop at Whole Foods but chose not to.

EA is also at Target, shopping malls and some stand along stations near fast food/shopping districts.

Aww dang, I miss Torrance, used to be my old stimping grounds.

 

[EVCar]

Aww dang, I miss Torrance, used to be my old stimping grounds.

There was a authentic pho restaurant on Crenshaw, by the community college.
It was, in my book, in the top 10 for both N and Southern Calif.

 

[epradox]

Walmart started by placing their stores in rural communities, which tend to be poor.

Today, Walmart is everywhere save very wealthy communities. They have saturated middle class America to such a degree they launched international expansion long ago.

My hometown of Torrance,CA has a Ferrari and Porsche dealership, a Lucid and Tesla store. And a Walmart, a neighborhood market Walmart, a Walmart Supercenter, and a Sam's Club. There are some people that can afford to shop at Whole Foods but chose not to.

EA is also at Target, shopping malls and some stand along stations near fast food/shopping districts.

eh alright not what i was getting at. Can you go into detail about the federal program that is making EA build chargers in poor communities? what exactly does that entail and where are they?

 

[Rob Stark]

eh alright not what i was getting at. Can you go into detail about the federal program that is making EA build chargers in poor communities? what exactly does that entail and where are they?

There isn't a "program."

It is part of the Dieselgate settlement VW Group had with the Dept of Justice.

You can google for the settlement and read the details if you wish.

 

[Rob Stark]

Addendum : With Biden signing the IRA bill yesterday there is now a subsidy program to install dc fast charging in "disadvantaged communities." Anyone interested in details can google the Inflation Reduction Act and read it.