Author Archives: lukefrugalev

Had a lovely chat with a fireman at a nearby electric car showcase. The gentleman tells me that the average fire truck might only do 50 km per day (usually far less). Given my experience with electric cars, wonderful for short trips, some headaches for cross provincial treks (source), 50 km is truely and mightilyContinue reading “Should city cars go electric?”

As the skis get put away, it is time for another used car survey. Last fall, we found over 200 EVs looking for a new home. A gently used Nissan Leaf, or a Model 3, plenty of these abound. We also see a few “older-flagships” cruising around looking for new owners. We find a whoppingContinue reading “Used EV survey, Spring 2024”

About 400 km south-west of Toronto sits the city of Windsor. Across the river from Detroit. We found a surprisingly vibrant city with many historic sites of interest. From the almost complete Gordie Howe bridge, to the underground railroad and a neat aviation museum . There is plenty to do. There is ample charging betweenContinue reading “Windsor”

Lets compare three common green projects people consider. Heat-pump installation, switching the gas guzzler to an electric vehicle (EV), and putting solar on the roof. We use Canadian green-house emissions statistics, and my experience with the first two (plus some planning/googling for the third), to see how the economics and user experience compare. As isContinue reading “Heat-pump vs electric vehicle (EV) vs Solar what should I do first?”

We have discussed several solar and or battery projects in previous posts. Usually the economics are rather abysmal with payback periods stretching into the decades. At the heart of this is the relatively low per-kWh electricity price, of only 10 c/kWh “ish” (source). Compared to say Californians who must fork over 33 c/kWh (source). ButContinue reading “A cheap way to boost solar?”

I recently installed an Emporia power monitor in my electrical panel. The installation procedure was fairly straightforward and took me about an hour or so to do. I have about half a dozen 240V circuits in the house which go to “power-hogs” such as the heat-pump, hot water tank, EV charger, Stove, heat-pump dryer etc.Continue reading “Experiments with a Power Monitor”

A while back in a prior post, we discussed using a simple battery powered fan to slow the heat build up which accompanies fast charging on the 2018 Nissan Leaf. Our results at the time suggested that the simple fan did make a small difference. For that particular trip, it was 360 km North BayContinue reading “Tremblant run with “active cooling””

The Pickering nuclear plant has been a reliable back bone of Ontario’s energy mix for well over five decades. But in 2026, it must either shut down or undergo serious (e.g. expensive) renovations to continue to produce power. The site sits in the heart of the greater Toronto area (GTA), and could lead to someContinue reading “What to do about Pickering Nuclear?”

Price of electricity varies greatly depending on the time of day. Here in Ontario, 1 kWh will cost you 3c at night, but 30c during peak hours. This is where a home battery might comes in handy, why not charge up during the the night on cheap-electrons, and discharge during expensive hours? Lets explore theContinue reading “Home battery economics”

Ski-fewer got you down? Why not hit the slopes at Mount St. Louis Moonstone? Its only 150 km from Toronto, so an easy day trip, even in a 5 year old 2018 Nissan Leaf. Charging is available (albeit expensive) at the ski-resort so no need to charge really, unless you prefer cheaper charging, there isContinue reading “Mount St. Louis Moonstone”