EV Charging Network- it's Tesla vs. the world. Spoiler Alert: Tesla is winning!

When shopping for EV’s, perhaps the most overlooked aspect of ownership is the public charging network. For most American’s that own an EV, charging will mostly take place at home. Owners will plug in their car at night like a cell phone, and wake up every day to a fully charged vehicle. Assuming you don’t exceed the range of the vehicle, it’s simply a ‘rinse and repeat’ process day in and day out. Simple and easy - and not to mention, generally less expensive than using public charging networks.

However, there are two major downsides to charging at home. First, it’s very slow. Even with an upgraded charge system at home, it could be several times slower to charge at home versus the high-speed public chargers. That means if you arrive home late and need to leave again early, you might be working with a half-full battery. Second, charging at home doesn’t help you when you need to drive longer distances or when your final destination is not your home. For these two reasons, we turns our attention to the public charging network.

In general, EV manufacturers advertise the ability for their batteries to charge from 20% to 80% in the 20-40 minute range using their public chargers. This, on the surface, seems great. You can stop at a public charger, head for lunch or a cup of coffee, and before you know it, you’re back on the road. Here’s the problem: not all charging stations are created equal. Let’s start with the easy one… Tesla’s super-charging network.

In short, Tesla has essentially executed their public charging stations perfectly. They invested a ton of money into establishing their network. You can drive from the east coast to the west coast with intelligently assisted Tesla navigation through a map of charging stations. But it’s not just about quantity. It’s also about quality. Ask any Tesla owner or watch any comparison review and you’ll see that overall the Tesla charging experience is positive. The chargers always work. They are always fast. They are located in convenient locations. They are integrated into your Tesla account for billing. Simple and easy. Oh, and if you don’t own a Tesla you cannot use them. So they aren’t overcrowded. In fact, many Tesla owners report that the charging station banks are usually empty.

Everyone else, on the other hand, is not quite there yet. Companies like GM, Ford, Nissan, FCA, Volvo, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and many others have grouped together to invest in a selection of public charging networks instead of building their own like Tesla. Two of the larger players here are ChargePoint and Electrify America. On paper, they are competitive with Tesla. They have thousands of charge locations allowing you to go coast to coast utilizing this charging network. The devil, as always, is in the details.

Many non-Tesla EV owners report that the public charging experience is sub-optimal… at best. In no particular order:
-They are not conveniently located, often actually hard to find. Think: inside mall parking lots, behind the Walmart, etc.
-They have high rates of failure. Too many times, the charging station doesn’t work and you need to pull over to the next one.
-They have fluctuating rates of charge. You have to keep a close eye on how fast these fast chargers are or you could end up at a charger for 4 hours instead of 40 minutes.
-They have billing issues. Credit cards might not swipe, errors might appear, etc.

The list goes on. Every time I watch another non-Tesla EV review, there’s always mention of the public charging disaster that frustrates the industry.

If I were buying an EV today, I would likely go with a Tesla. I don’t think it’s the most attractive cosmetically (interior and exterior), and I don’t necessarily think it’s “the best” EV anymore on paper. It’s definitely competitive in those categories BUT they have a bulletproof charging network that is a generation ahead of the competition. Until the rest of the industry catches up with the Tesla charging experience, Tesla will remain the #1 EV manufacturer in my mind.

It's time to buy a Fiat 124 Spyder!

The Fiat 124 Spyder is a front engine, 2 seat roadster manufactured by Mazda for FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). It was introduced in 2015 and debuted as a 2016 model year. This vehicle is manufactured alongside the Mazda Miata in Mazda’s Hiroshima plant in Japan and shares its platform and mechanicals with the current Mazda Miata. However, it is distinguished by an FCA developed turbo-charged motor as well as unique shock absorbers and exterior design. The Mazda Miata and the Fiat 124 Spyder are argued to provide the most amount of fun per dollar spent on a new car.

Fiat has recently announced that the Fiat 124 Spyder will no longer be available in North America following the 2020 models. A quick search on www.cars.com shows 555 new 2020 Fiat 124 Spyders available on dealer lots right now. Some have advertised discounts of almost $10,000.00!

If you are in the market for a wallet-friendly weekend car - or even a daily driver - be sure to run over to your local Fiat dealer and check out a 124 Spyder. This is an outrageously fun car and at nearly a 30% discount it’s a hard bargain to beat!!

For more, check out this article on Jalopnik.

The Hummer is back. And it is fully electric! But is it relevant?

What is a Hummer, anyway? Well, actually, it started as a military/utility vehicle produced by AM General. Hummer, nick-name for Humvee, nick-name for HMMWV, short for High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, was first produced in 1984 and began to see widespread use during the Gulf War in 1991. The Hummer was sold globally and was heavily relied on for military and various utility applications. Much later on, the Hummer was released to the civilian market due to high demand.

In 1999, General Motors successfully negotiated marketing rights to the Hummer name and began formally calling the AM General produced Hummer the Hummer H1.

In 2002, production began on the Hummer H2. The H2 was a full-size SUV built using a combination of front and rear frame components from Chevy’s 2500 and 1500 line of pickup trucks. It’s design language reflected the original Hummer H1, however the H2 was an obvious departure from the original military-capable vehicle produced by AM General. While it mimicked some cosmetic features, this SUV was a road-focused car geared for high volume sales to civilian consumers. This vehicle was sold from 2003 through 2009 and a total of about 150,000 units were sold.

In 2006, General Motors begin selling the Hummer H3 which was a smaller variant of the Hummer H2. The H3 sold roughly another 150,000 units in its 5 year run from 2005-2009.

Rumors have been swirling now for what seems like years on the debut of the all new, all electric Hummer from General Motors - badged by way of GMC. And it was finally unveiled. To read full details on the new Hummer, check it out at Car and Driver https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a34412909/2022-gmc-hummer-ev-revealed/

Long story short: It’s awesome. It HUGE. It’s fast. It’s gorgeous. It’s full of new and cool technology. It’s got 1000 HP and rumored to have around 1000 lb-ft of real world torque (the 11,500 lb-ft of torque mentioned during the reveal is not using the same context the rest of the automotive world uses when talking about torque - check out Engineering Explained for more on that https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkM0L4_W_pM).

BUT, I actually think it’s a big let down. And here’s why. The Hummer “you can get now” is a limited edition version that starts at $112,595 according to General Motors (look much higher after options). The website already shows “Reservations Full” for that version. The “cheap” one, which is called the Hummer EV2, starts at $79,995. But here’s the catch - it’s not available until Spring of 2024! 2024!! There are two more versions coming as well - the EV2X ($89,995, coming Spring 2023) and the EV3X ($99,995, coming Spring 2022).

While it’s cool to see manufacturers making million dollar electric cars - it is, in my opinion, way off target. The name of the game right now is bringing full electric cars, SUV’s and pickup truck’s to the consumer market at reasonably affordable prices. In a week from now, nobody will care that General Motors spent 5 years making an unattainable Hummer EV. It’s cool. It’ll attract attention at a local cars and coffee, and it’ll make a great poster for 10 year old kids to hang on their walls. But it’s irrelevant to the marketplace right now.

Even Tesla knows this. Don’t you think Tesla could make a string of $100,000-150,000 cars and be cool too? Of course. But the real “cool factor” here is making a car everybody can buy.

If General Motors released this “first edition” Hummer for $112,000, but then promised a $60,000 version by next summer, I would be fully on board.

There’s nothing special when you accomplish a super-expensive electric vehicle. The specialty and cool factor comes when you can make an EV that is affordable.

2021 RAM TRX has arrived in a big way. Ford, your turn.

Back in the early 90’s, Ford created the SVT Lightening, a high-performance variant of their popular F-150 full size pickup truck. It was powered by a 240HP 5.8 liter V8 engine and sold for 3 model years with production totaling about 11,000 units. To many, this was the pioneer of the modern day, high-performance pickup truck. It was essentially an enthusiast drivers car on a muscular pickup truck platform.

Almost a decade later, in 2003, Dodge stuck an 8.3 liter V-10 Viper engine in their popular full-size pickup truck chassis. They called it the Dodge Ram SRT-10 and it was fantastic. Available with a manual transmission, it had 500HP and was capable of 0-60 in under 5 seconds. Dodge only sold this monster for the 2004, 2005, and 2006 model years with total production of about 10,000 units.

Although both the Ford SVT Lightening and the Dodge Ram SRT-10 were loved by enthusiasts and revered by the larger automotive community, they did not sell in particularly high numbers and the market was deemed a bit too narrow for increased development funding and production. Hence the small production run for both vehicles.

However, about the time Dodge ended production on the SRT-10, Ford began speculating on a potentially underestimated market for this type of vehicle. They ramped up funding and development, and in 2010 they introduce an all-new SVT Raptor built on the F-150 chassis. It's most popular engine was a 6.2 liter V8 producing 411HP.

In 2017, Ford introduces the second generation Raptor dropping the SVT name from the brand. It was now known as the Ford F-150 Raptor. It used the 3.5 liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 with 450HP. Proving to be a successful variant, the Ford Raptor claimed the title as the “baddest” half-ton pickup on the planet. Ford was without competition for over 10 years.

That is until now. Ram Trucks has unveiled the 2021 Ram TRX and had the Raptor directly in the crosshairs the entire way. Ram had every intention of going after Ford's largest weak spot which is the TT V-6 under the hood. There was almost no doubt that Ram was going to leverage the existing Hellcat motor - a 6.2 liter supercharged V8 - which they use in other high-performance vehicles such as the Charger and Grand Cherokee. It touts an impressive 702HP and claims 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. - which is especially impressive given its curb weight of over 6,300 pounds! Although a bit more expensive than the current generation Raptor, I suspect this model will be highly successful and force Ford to think long and hard about their anticipated third generation Raptor - rumored to debut for the 2022 model year.

Which brings up a very interesting topic around what powertrain Ford should use for the third generation Raptor. There are really only two options: the 5.2 liter “Predator” supercharged V8 currently used in the Mustang GT500 (760HP) or some kind of hybrid gas/electric combination. Hybrid technology is increasingly popular, but not only in the “normal” family segment, but also in the high-performance sports cars world. Porsche, Ferrari and McLaren have all leveraged this hybrid technology in pursuit of superior performance. Enthusiasts will always make noise about the need for a V8 in the high-performance truck world - and to some degree, can you blame them?

The easy route for Ford is to simply use the GT500 motor. It’s an amazing engine, it will please the crowd and should be an easy sell. Keeping price and weight down will be a challenge for sure - but perhaps less of a challenge than convincing the truck community that an electric variant is the better option.

My take: if Ford continues to double down on the EcoBoost/Hybrid direction and insists on that avenue for the third generation Raptor, it better be objectively and overwhelmingly superior to the Hellcat motor. Sure, you’ll never silence the haters that insist the most important factor of a truck is the sound of the V8. However, Ford will have to win in every other available category aside from sound. If they use a hybrid powertrain, my feeling is that it has to be a mic-dropping reveal. I’m talking HP numbers approaching 1000 and a 0-60 in 3.9 seconds maximum. Put a “4” anywhere in that 0-60 time and I have concerns. If Ford can achieve this, and only if Ford can achieve this, I would support the decision to leverage next generation hybrid technology and not only beat the TRX, but bring the segment into an entirely different world of performance and technology. If not, Ford needs to take their medicine and focus attention to the GT500 motor. It’ll be the path of least resistance. It’ll be the easy move. It’ll be a guaranteed crowd-please. It’ll be the least risky.

But as the notorious Henry Ford (might) have said, “If I had asked people what THEY wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

Let the games begin.

The off-road war begins, and the landscape is changing!

There are two really interesting things happening right now in the rugged, off-road segment: Jeep Wrangler officially has competition, and ‘rock crawling’ isn’t cool anymore.

First, the Jeep Wrangler Competition.
Ford formally announced the all new Bronco this week. Aimed directly and intentionally at the Jeep Wrangler, the Bronco will be available with all the off-road goodies in the Wrangler and then some. This includes an optional manual transmission (with a crawl gear!), removable doors and roof, 35 inch tires available from the factory, various transfer case options that includes a 4A mode, a modern and refined interior, and much more. Although we have the new Land Rover Defender and the Mercedes G-Wagon, these are much more expensive and not directly in competition with the “affordable” Wrangler and Bronco. However, let’s not forget the Toyota 4-Runner. Today, it’s badly in need of a redesign - so in its current state it isn't much of a threat. However, with the off-road wars heating up, don’t be surprised if you see Toyota redesign this vehicle and make a big splash! Chevy, on the other hand, missed a huge opportunity by ‘wasting’ the Blazer comeback on a forgettable and irrelevant crossover. Time to cut your losses, Chevy, and re-invent the Blazer. Again.

Next. Rock-crawling isn’t cool anymore! Well, almost.
For decades, the Jeep Wrangler hung its hat on it’s off-road capabilities. Until recently, “off-road” capabilities meant almost exclusively that it’s able to navigate dirt trails and for the more skilled adventurer, the ULTIMATE, rock crawling. Rock crawling is exactly what it sounds like: slow speed driving over rocks and large boulders. Do many Wrangler owners ever actually rock crawl? No. Very few Wranglers ever leave the pavement, let alone rock crawl. This isn’t a knock on Wrangler owners. It’s exactly similar to how very few sports car owners ever actually take their car to the race track. Most people buy an enthusiast car, be it an off-roader or a sports car, for the idea. The spirit of the machine. The feeling of possibilities. Not necessarily for using it exactly as intended.

But wait! Enter the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor. Although this is the second generation of the high performance Ford F-150, this generation doubled down on a new kind of off-road “cool.” Yes, it’s an off-road warrior. But it has a much different twist. This off-road warrior isn’t designed to travel slowly over rocks. How boring. It’s designed to travel fast! In the DESERT! High horse power, high thrill, loud engine! It’s a race car… but for the off-road! The Ford F-150 Raptor doesn’t compete directly with the Wrangler as a vehicle. But it’s competing with the Wrangler as an entire segment and as a disruptive concept. Out with the slow-and-meticulous-rock-crawl and in with the high-speed-and-exhilarating-desert-runner.

In my opinion, this concept is more exciting and more appealing to the general public over the old fashioned rock-crawl. And I think the manufacturers agree. Ford has released the new Bronco with an available twin-turbo 6 cylinder making over 300HP and 400 lb-ft of torque. It also has two top-of-the-line trims… one of which is designed for high-speed off-roading. Jeep released a picture of a future concept Wrangler touting their 392 Hemi V-8 which might make upwards of 450HP. Jeep has already created a new trim in their Gladiator lineup called the “Mojave” which is more geared toward high-speed desert running. The problem is that it still carries the same old and boring Pentastar V-6 engine.

The initial release of the Bronco is sort of forced to compete with the Wrangler in the rock-crawl arena. Bronco came to market with disconnecting sway-bars, and class leading ground clearance including approach and departure angles. In order to win the long term war, Ford first needs to beat the Wrangler at it’s own game. However, I strongly suspect that over time the rock-crawl passion will take a back seat to the high-performance enthusiasts.

The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor has inspired an entirely new consumer base. The Raptor is so well received in the market that RAM has already announced a new RAM Rebel TRX that is rumored to have the infamous Hellcat engine with potentially over 700HP. WOW! Ford is bound to respond in their third generation Raptor due out sometime in the next couple of years. Chevy shouldn’t be too far behind with a new Silverado model - assuming they don’t miss the boat again like they did with the Blazer.

No matter where you stand on the rock-crawl vs. high performance idea, one thing is for sure. Competition is good for the market. Expect to see more excitement and development in the Wrangler world. Expect Ford to keep their foot on the gas (no pun intended) with the new Bronco, and expect an awesome and new competitive segment in the automotive world: high-performance off-road.

Chevrolet's new mid-engine Corvette - the C8

Mid-engine Corvette designs date back to the 1960’s although none of them ever made it to the general population. With European competition becoming cut-throat, track times going lower than ever before, and vehicle engineering is advancing at light speed, Chevy finally came to the table with something new. The C8 Corvette is an all new, mid-engine monster that costs fractions the price of it’s European competition.

Although “only” a base model has been announced, future high(er) performance variants of the C8 are keeping the car industry on edge. Personally, I think the C8 looks great and is one of the best value buys in the sports car world today.

For more, head to Car and Driver and discover what all the buzz is about.

Finally, competition for the Jeep Wrangler?

For decades, nothing has really competed with the Jeep Wrangler. Sure, you have the Toyota 4Runner if you aren’t focused on maximum off-road ability nor the ability to remove the roof and doors. Not to mention, the 4Runner is in desperate need of a refresh - it still feels like it’s a 2009 model. Probably because it hasn’t been significantly updated since then. You can go for a Mercedes G-Wagon if you have that kind of cash (starting at $124,000!)… or want one used. The G-Wagon also doesn’t offer a removable roof/doors nor is it available with a manual transmission. You can look for some kind of used Range Rover Defender, maybe. Prices on those, even used, are outrageous. Not to mention reliability concerns. What’s left? A 1989 Suzuki Samurai??

Many consumers are looking to walk into a dealership and purchase a top-down, stick shift, 4x4 that can be used off road and still be comfortable on the highway… there’s really only one legitimate option. And that’s the Jeep Wrangler. They can be configured in 2 or 4 doors, and they can be built on both ends of the budget spectrum. A low cost, 2 door Sport model starts at just $28,000 while a fully loaded, 4 door, Sahara/Rubicon model can run you well over the $50,000 mark. The Wrangler just does it all. Which makes sense as to why Jeep sold more than 1 million new Wranglers in the last 5 years! That’s impressive.

I am not sure why it has taken the competition so long to decide they want a piece of this market segment. Especially now that consumers are moving toward SUV’s as their primary vehicle. Well, Ford might be the first. There isn’t a whole lot of information about the upcoming 2020 Ford Bronco. Much of the information available is speculation. It’s rumored to be available in 2 or 4 doors, have removable doors and roof, be rugged enough for off-road yet refined enough to daily drive… oh and it may even have a manual transmission! I can’t wait for the official reveal, possible as early as later this year.

For more rumors, speculation and leaks, check out this article from Road and Track.

Battle of the 3-row SUV's

As the the North American automotive market continues trending away from sedans and into crossovers and SUV’s, a hot new segment is also on the rise: the 3-row family hauler!

Although practical, mini vans just aren’t cool. And while nothing’s more functional for transporting a family in a brand new Honda Odyssey - automakers are doing a very good job bridging the functionality gap in some new 3-row SUV’s. Many mid-size crossovers now offer a third row, but the segment most interesting is the full size group. This includes mini-van killers such as the VW Atlas, the Chevy Traverse, the all new Kia Telluride, and the soon-to-be Hyundai Palisade. They offer exciting styling, luxurious interiors, practical second and third row seating, modern driver and safety tech, and reasonably good fuel mileage. And most importantly, you don’t get picked on for driving one! I’d venture to say they’re even pretty cool.

So if you’re in the market for a family friendly vehicle but hesitate to settle down reluctantly with today’s mini van, head out and test drive some of the larger 3-row SUV’s available today. You might just be surprised!

BMW i4, a fully electric family sedan...?

Things are heating up in the race to catch Tesla! Although there are plenty of vehicles with electric technology embedded within, few seem to be as cool (or functional) as Tesla offerings. The market requires few mandatory things from a fully electric vehicle in order to yield interest and ultimately… well, sales. It needs a long range (250 miles at a minimum), it needs to be practical enough for the family, it needs to charge fast, it needs to be affordable and it needs to be cool. Can BMW do it?

Can BMW’s new i4 family sedan compete with Tesla’s Model S or Model 3? We don’t know too much about it yet, but BMW has some large shoes to fill. The next 3-5 years is going to be exciting. I anticipate the electric sedan and crossover SUV market to explode - allowing consumers options in size, styling, and price points.

Check out more on the BMW i4 from Car Magazine’s article and spy-shots.

The New 2020 BMW M3 (G80)

As an owner of the current generation (F80) BMW M3, naturally I’m keeping an eye on BMW’s development for the much anticipated redesign. Recent speculation teased by Car Magazine (link below) suggests that BMW may reveal their new M3 as a 2020 model (designated internally as the G80) in multiple formats.

Standard M3/M4

TLDR: 474 HP, AWD (with a selectable RWD drive mode), and automatic only (ZF 8 Speed)

One anticipated model will be the “standard” M3 and M4. In this case, “standard” may actually mean faster and more capable depending on who you ask, but we’ll get to that later. Similar to the drivetrain of the newest BMW M5, we may see this variant of the new M3 available in an AWD format… but through a driver selectable setting it can be put in RWD mode as well - though you may have to give up traction control to use this setting. It also appears that this version of the M3 will depart from its beloved DCT (dual clutch) transmission for the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission which is causing quite the stir in enthusiast community. While the DCT certainly offers lightening fast shifts during high-RPM driving, many claim it’s a bit too harsh at slow speeds or during “normal” driving conditions. This is where the ZF automatic sets itself apart. High RPM shifts are still incredibly fast (the ever so slightly slower shift speed is probably not discernible by most) and the more standard torque converter allows daily-driving to be comfortable and smooth. Best of both worlds? Depends on who you ask!

“Pure” M3/M4

TLDR: 454 HP, RWD, 6 speed manual transmission

The next anticipated model, the so-called “Pure” edition, will be a slightly less powerful M3 but equipped with the enthusiast-loving manual transmission, and a RWD powertrain. This is huge news for some, since the standard 3-series models are no longer available with a manual transmission here in the US. Not to mention, none of the major M3 competitors (MB C63/S, Alpha Giulia, Audi RS5) offer a manual transmission option. However, there are others that are disappointed that BMW is only offering this manual gearbox on a “de-tuned” version of the M3. The thought is that BMW’s existing manual gearbox is not designed or capable of handling much more HP without having reliability concerns. And since the new vehicle take-rate on manual transmissions is very low, there isn’t a strong business case to be made to develop a brand new manual platform that can handle more power. Early reports suggest the “Pure” edition may have dedicated exterior cosmetics, paint options, and interior touches that attempt to increase excitement for this model.

Personally, I think this is all awesome news. I am a manual transmission guy. I am much less concerned about lap time seconds (possibly tenths of seconds), maximum HP, etc., and I’m more interested in driving engagement and driving experience. The latter of which appears to be available in the M3 “pure.” However, those that are not interested in rowing their owns gears, or those that are into track times, AWD benefits, or simply owning the most HP possible, they will be very excited about the new “standard” M3 platform which will certainly be all of those things. Can’t wait to learn more.

For more on BMW’s future M lineup, check out this article from Car Magazine.

An electric Porsche 911 on the horizon?

An electric or hybrid 911? Would you buy one? While there isn’t any formal indication that an electric variant of the super successful Porsche 911 is anywhere in sight, the platform of the new 992 redesign is said to have been built to accommodate an electric or hybrid motor and drivetrain. Interesting…

It’s hard to imagine that the iconic sports car that is famous for its high revving, flat 6 engine would go electric. Or is it? The Porsche 918 Spyder and the new Acura NSX are both hybrid designs and it’s hard to deny the looks or performance of those two cars. The industry is changing before our eyes. And it’s happening quickly. Can’t wait to see what Porsche has up their sleeves.

For more on the Porsche 992 hybrid speculation, check out this article from Road & Track.

Porsche reveals the new 911 at the LA Auto Show

Porsche revealed the much anticipated 2020 911 - known as the 992 generation - at the LA Auto Show this week. As usual, the 911 redesign is much more of an evolution than a revolution. To the causal eye, most Porsche 911 generations all appear to be basically the same. However, this new vehicle sports some pretty cool enhancements by way of interior design, driver technology, and engine performance. Not to mention a exterior body redesign that somehow continues to improve on the timeless and classic Porsche 911 appearance. We still have quite some time before we see these 992’s at dealers here in the US, but I am very much looking forward to it.

Check out the Road & Track article here for full details. Super exciting!