Saturday EV Watch

Property

Property 1

TESLA Cube Lounges Debut

TESLA wants you to be comfortable while you charge up your car or SUV. So much so that Electrek is reporting on their new Cube lounges that popped up in Germany.

MY TAKE-Charging takes time and many charging stations are operated on third party retailers’ property. By building out their own concept of what a charging station can be, TESLA is taking the first step to “franchising” the TESLA equivalent to the gas station. The idea is very simple. Develop a concept. Refine it. Prove it works. Then franchise to “dealers” who then become part of the overall TESLA supply chain. Charge the car today. Sell a new one tomorrow.

Power. We Need More Power.

Siemens has a better idea when it comes to providing power to your electric vehicle. The idea, as Electrek reveals is to put the home EV power adaptor right on your home’s electric meter.

MY TAKE-What a great idea. This eliminates the expense of having to upgrade the power panel, puts the interface right where the power comes to the home and is a faster and more elegant solution.

It’s Not About The Environment

Polestar has revealed that North American buyers are not purchasing EVs simply for the benefit of helping the environment. According to The DRIVE, buyers are looking more for creature comforts and the in-car entertainment experience. Specifically it’s the in-vehicle technology, seamless connectivity, and infotainment system that’s being offered. And specifically, they want a bigger screen.

MY TAKE-Supporting the environment and being part of the sustainability movement is table stakes for everyone. We have to care. But we also are now able to reimagine the entire in-car experience and data from Polestar is proving that.

Charging Levels Explained

If you were confused about the differences are between Level 1, 2 and 3 charging are the explanations are right here in both SlashGear and from ArsTechnica. On the subject of charging, ScreenRant provides clarity on just what’s possible with the new LUCID Air when it comes to charging options.

MY TAKE-It’s great that these primers are being published as clearly the EV charging industry is pushing for greater clarity. At this point the best you can get for your home is Level 2, but if you’re in a multi-tenant condominium or apartment building you need to lobby for a Level 3 charging station to be installed on your property as that’s where you can get really fast charging.