Author Archives: lukefrugalev

A magical place just north of Toronto, Manitoulin is easy accessed in my 2018 Nissan Leaf. While there is only one EV charger on the Island, lots of campgrounds offer 30 and even 50 A electrical outlets which allow you to make your own L2 charging station with the appropriate adapters. There is something toContinue reading “Manitoulin Island”

It turns out that the environmental impact (or at least the carbon footprint) of your EV is a strong function of when you charge it. Electricity comes from a variety of sources, here in Ontario Nuclear provides a significant portion, along with hydro and oil & gas. In terms of carbon emissions, oil & gasContinue reading “When should I charge my EV?”

Marketed as a “plug-in-hybrid-electric-vehicle”, the Mitsubishi Outlander aims to comfort those with concerns over charging infrastructure. As a hybrid, it certainly does gets excellent gas mileage, which gets even better if you plug it in to charge. It “usually” operates as an EV for in-town jaunts, switching to gas once you leave the highway. However,Continue reading “Driving the Mitsubishi Outlander”

Car’s are not the only source of carbon emissions in the transport category. Ferries, trains, aircraft, trucks etc. also generate CO2 emissions. It can make a lot of economic sense to electrify some of them, particularly if the route is short. I recently rode an “plug-in-hybrid” ferry, which operates entirely on electricity for its usualContinue reading “Big EV, the case for the Electric Ferry”

Recently I had to do a work trip to Ottawa from my home in Toronto. I had to lug a fair bit of gear, so I opted to drive my 2018 Nissan Leaf. Door to door time was 7 hours, a little longer than 4 hours and 30 minutes suggested by google. I find googleContinue reading “Toronto-Ottawa”

As gas prices increase, interest in electric car’s has increased. But it seems you can spend more on charging than gas (source). As always, in these click-bait times, the devil lies in the details, or more specifically in the math. So lets do some math and see how much I need to pay to driveContinue reading “Cost of fuel: Electrons vs Gas?”

Much ink (digital and otherwise) has been spilled discussing the state of charging infrastructure for electric cars. While it is true, as electric cars go mainstream, we will need more charging stations to keep the fleet well charged. However, an interesting trend is emerging, with gas stations closing as increasing real-estate prices make their ownersContinue reading “There are more charging stations than gas stations in downtown Toronto”

While a favorite summertime destination, Sandbank provincial park offers lots of fun year around. In fact, one surf-blogger https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Sandbanks-Provincial-Park claims the best surfing conditions are in the late fall. Its an easy drive from Toronto along Hwy 401 East, with ample charging along the way, certainly a wonderful spot for a weekend getaway. It isContinue reading “Sandbanks Provincial Park”

A short drive along the 401 about 150 km east of Toronto sits Presqu’ile Provincial Park. If the waves are up, surfing can be a lot of fun along the sandy beach. Nearby the big apple offers fuel for both your EV and your belly, along with numerous hiking oportunities. Whats not to like. IContinue reading “Camping trip, Presqu’ile Provincial Park”

Driving more than 500 km in a day in the Nissan Leaf requires careful planning. While rare in my life, my inner engineer is scheming if it would be feasible to add an aftermarket battery cooling system to the Nissan Leaf. As a first step, lets do some thermodynamics and see how much heat weContinue reading “Aftermarket battery cooling: The math.”