I learned firsthand yesterday why rental car companies are abandoning their electric vehicle fleets. I arrived at an airport with a rental car reservation -- for the wrong date (my fault). No problem -- there is an EV car available, a Tesla.
I've driven a couple Teslas before, and -- after struggling to start the thing -- I really enjoyed this one. But when I got to where I was going... I could not find a place to charge it. (This was in a major city known for its "progressive" policies.)
I found one garage, which told me it only allowed people with monthly parking passes to charge. I found another, which seemed to have reserved its chargers for their own rental cars (other chargers existed but were hard to reach).
I found another garage with a charger, but it did not fit my Tesla. Eventually I realized there was an adapter in the glove compartment, but that didn't work, either -- or, quite possibly, I didn't know how to connect the thing properly.
I called a friend with a Tesla for advice. He told me there were Tesla chargers in another nearby garage. I went to that garage and could not find the chargers. I began to panic about running out of charge as I was looking for a way to charge.
I called the rental car company, and spoke to a sympathetic guy who said that he has spoken to many frustrated customers with the same problem, and that this is why the rental car companies are selling their large, pricey EV fleets.
I finally returned to my hotel, where I promised the concierge a hefty tip if she could figure out the problem for me (she had initially recommended several of the original places I had tried). She also went on a wild chase -- for hours.
I could have deferred charging until the following morning, but then I would have been taking a risk, and I would have had to carve out at least an additional half hour from my day to allow the car to charge enough before returning it.
We have two problems here. One is an infrastructure problem: there are not enough chargers. The "Inflation Reduction Act" spent billions on building a national EV charging network; after two years, it has built EIGHT stations.
The other problem is an engineering problem. Charging takes a lot longer than filling your tank with fuel. Time is money. Time is also stress. I missed out on an hour of socializing with friends while I ran around looking for a Tesla charger.
EVs are for people with chargers installed in their own homes, and regular commuting routes that will not require unexpected detours. It is not for long-distance drives, or fun trips through the country without a specific plan.
Cars represent freedom. Driving an EV feels like the opposite, after the first few minutes of fun. You are totally reliant on a network, which means, in effect, relying on government. Some people are OK with that. Most will not be.
Update: a friend points out that the "relying on government" argument is a bit flawed. Maybe I just lacked access to adequate private charging stations. (The argument about the long time to charge, and the short range, stands.)
I think he's right -- and I am reminded of another friend who uses his Tesla to stay completely off the grid, because he installed his own solar panels and batteries at his home, so he doesn't need to rely on gas stations, either.
That's great -- if you can afford it, and if the government or the utilities don't charge you to generate your own power. I really can see a Tesla as the ultimate libertarian system -- but perhaps only for the wealthy.
I should have noted in my message about the weekly Torah portion that this week is Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath of Vision. We are about to mourn -- but see through that pain to something better that lies beyond, on the other side.
Wishing you the best vision -- and an incredible reality to follow. It happens!
We begin the final speech of Moses to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. He relates the ups and downs of the years of wandering in the desert, before, finally, the people have the merit to enter the land itself.
This Sabbath always precedes Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is the anniversary of the destruction of both of the Holy Temples, and a catch-all for many calamities that befell the Jewish people.
A word on Tisha B'Av. This year I am leaving for an overseas trip during the afternoon of the holiday -- in the middle of a fast day. Not idea, but there was no other choice. But my flight is in the afternoon, which is significant.
We relax some of the harsh, mournful customs of the day in the afternoon. We start to pray normally; we sit on regular chairs; we start to have hope again in the redemption that will, one day, lead us all back from exile to our home.
I'll be taking a trip to a land where an important part of ...
President Trump is in Scotland, playing golf and making big trade deals -- a major deal with the EU, in fact. Meanwhile, there is a global outcry about humanitarian aid to Palestinians (not about the Israeli hostages, mind you).
On top of that, Democrats are at their lowest polling numbers ever -- so they are trying to win control of the House by redistricting in the middle of a 10-year Census cycle. Oh, economic optimism is up, so they have a tough road.
And Tulsi Gabbard's revelations about the Russia collusion investigation make it clear that Obama's lieutenants lied to Congress. How deeply was he himself involved? The media continue to ignore the evidence, but we certainly won't.
Special guests:
Nick Gilbertson - Breitbart News White House correspondent, on EU deal
Frances Martel - Breitbart News foreign editor, on Trump abroad and Russia
John Spencer - urban warfare expert, on humanitarian aid and war in Gaza
Bradley Jaye - Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on the ...
