Last year the Portland State Motorsports team built their own electric racer. This year they are hoping to make an even better e-machine. You can read about their project and fundraising goals below.
Building a Formula SAE race car is a yearlong project that demands a full-time effort of Viking Motorsports members outside of their academic studies. In doing so they gain tremendous knowledge of engineering and business concepts through the practical application of classroom knowledge. Machining, vehicle dynamics, engineering, marketing, welding, and project management are some of the skills we develop through our efforts. Last year our team produced two race cars from scratch. One was powered by a combustion engine and the other a fully-electric vehicle - the first of its kind from Portland State. This year we strive to repeat this feat and secure a top ten finish in competition.
The project inherently incurs major costs in the materials, parts, and services needed to build both cars. It also costs us thousands in travel and registration fees. We hope you will consider supporting our team by helping us raise $7,500 to supplement other sources of funding. As a donor you will also be invited to follow our progress throughout the year, leading up to this year’s competition in Lincoln, Nebraska.
VMS Quick Facts
Goal: $7,500
Members: 12
Days left: 37
Budget:
See us Tuesday, October 21, 2-5 p.m., at the
Maseeh College Open House. [more info]
I recently wrote a story titled "The B-Class gets a D Grade". In this story, I explained that I had a bad experience when I tried to testdrive the B-Class at my local dealership. The car was not charged, the charging spot was ICEd. I did get to sit in the car and found the non-touch screen center console awkward to navigate.
As several readers pointed out, many of these are criticisms of the dealership, not the car or the manufacturer. Others defended the stance that the dealership is an important part of the experience and reflects on the car too.
One of the things that I most disliked in the car has now been addressed. The navigation system was showing all the nearby gas stations, but had nothing for charging stations. This car plugs in, it doesn't gas up. It was like handing a vegetarian a map of the best rib joints in town, useless. This made the entire car feel like a halfhearted effort to me. PlugShare to the rescue.
PlugShare is a great app for finding places to charge up and now it has been integrated into the B-Class in-dash navigation system. Maybe I'll give this car another chance, only this time I'll call the dealership ahead of time and let them know I am coming so they have time to charge the car up before I arrive.
Here is the press release:
Recargo Teams with Daimler to Improve Luxury EV Driving Experience
Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Gains Access to PlugShare Charging Network
PR Newswire
VENICE, Calif., Sept. 23, 2014
VENICE, Calif., Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Recargo, Inc. announced today that the organization is working together with luxury automaker Daimler to provide customized access to PlugShare, the world's most popular electric vehicle charging station locator and driver engagement platform. Daimler has incorporated PlugShare into its B-Class Electric Drive in-dash navigation system via e-Navigator App, making its comprehensive database and services an integral aspect of the premium Mercedes-Benz EV driving experience.
The collaboration with Daimler is a strategic move by PlugShare to support new programs and partners in the ever-expanding EV market. The relationship furthers the demand for PlugShare's in-depth, quality-controlled and continually-expanding data and demonstrates how front-end customization of PlugShare can be incorporated into a variety of applications - including in-dash, smartphone, and online.
"We are proud to be working with Daimler, a company with a rich automotive heritage and commitment to excellence, to help make electric vehicle charging easier and more accessible," said Brian Kariger, CEO of Recargo. "Our collaboration on the B-Class Electric Drive demonstrates how PlugShare can be adapted for automobile platforms and capabilities, to give drivers confidence through convenient access to information that makes the most of driving electric."
PlugShare is the largest and most comprehensive listing of public, paid and free charging stations with more than 120,000 active users sharing information in North America, and over 100,000 worldwide station reviews, comments, and photos.
The Mercedes-Benz B-Class with PlugShare integration is now available in the United States in select markets. For more information visit mbusa.com/bclass.
About Recargo, Inc.
Recargo Inc. is a leading electric vehicle service provider that offers consumer and industry intelligence to support the adoption and growth of plug-in mobility. Recargo makes PlugShare, the world's most popular EV charging station locator app. PlugInsights is Recargo's driver research division, powered by a survey research panel of nearly 10,000 EV drivers. The company is based in Venice, CA, with offices in San Carlos, CA. For more information about Recargo Inc. and the company's product offerings, visithttp://www.recargo.com.
Guest Post by Bryce
I drove a BMW i3 REX to Arlington, OR last weekend and tested out the new SAE Combo charger. The charger worked exactly as expected, with a convenient gas station and diner next door.
This location is perfect for those heading east out of Portland into the "dark zone" of Eastern Oregon/Washington with an i3 REX! For example, one can get to Tri-Cities, WA with only one 45 minute stop to refuel and recharge... most of the trip is in EV mode, getting a trip economy of well over 100 mpg!
BMW i3 at new SAE Combo charger in Arlington, OR
I think that this is a great "bridge" car (while the DC charging infrastructure continues to grow and battery technology develops) for those that want to drive 100% electric around home, but occasionally adventure out far from public infrastructure (and can't afford a Tesla). Previous plug-in hybrids really turned us off due to poor range which would use the gas engine during most of our (longer than average) driving patterns, but the i3 has the same EV range as our Leaf plus the optional range extender doubling that.
I also drove from Portland to Florence, using the SAE Combo charger in Salem and doing some L1 and L2 opportunity charging at some tourist traps along the way. Again, this is a really great stretch of the i3 REX range with mostly EV driving and a little REX driving with very little time spent recharging.
If you haven't test driven the i3, I encourage you to do so. Portland is perhaps the best place in the whole country for this vehicle due to our charging infrastructure currently available. Having the option of either a BEV or REX model with or without DC fast charging also gives the buyer some great flexibility depending on their needs.
o Video of first ever electric motorcycle travelling 1000 miles in 24 hours http://buff.ly/1mKPmfn
o What do you do w/ a Tesla Model S that has a 15000 Lumen projector? Play a movie on the the United Nations building! http://pic.twitter.com/ewmfRupO28
Oregon Global Warming Commission to meet September 25 OGWC to vote on resolution in support of EPA’s Clean Air Act
SALEM — The Oregon Global Warming Commission will meet Thursday, Sept. 25 in Portland from 9:00 a.m. to noon at World Trade Center II, 25 SW Salmon St. (Mezzanine level).
A listen-only call-in line will be available for those who cannot attend the meeting in Portland. The telephone number is 1-877-336-1831. Please use the access code 872206.
The OGWC agenda will include:
Reviewing results of a study analyzing climate change and public health issues in Oregon
Updating the Commission on the Oregon Carbon Tax Study’s progress
Summarizing recent findings in the scientific community on climate impacts, including the US Climate Assessment Report and the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report
Also on the agenda:
The OGWC will discuss and vote on a draft OGWC Resolution in support of EPA’s Clean Air Act Section 111(d) proposed existing power plant carbon emissions regulations.
If you need special accommodations to participate in the meeting, please contact Linda Ross at 503-378-6874 or at linda.ross@state.or.us.
###
The Oregon Global Warming Commission is a 25-member advisory group created by the 2007 Legislature through House Bill 3543. Members were appointed and directed to develop long-term policy recommendations to prepare for, adapt to, and combat global warming. Public comments can be submitted to the commission at Oregon.GWC@state.or.us. Sign up for the "Oregon Climate Change News" listserv at www.orclimatechange.gov to hear about Global Warming Commission meetings and the state’s efforts to address climate change.
For more information on climate change activities in Oregon, visit the Oregon Department of Energy Climate Change Portal, www.orclimatechange.gov, and the Global Warming Commission’s website at www.keeporegoncool.org.
Oregon Global Warming Commission
Oregon Department of Energy
625 Marion St NE
Salem OR 97301 503.378.4040 Toll-free in Oregon 1.800.221.8035
Welcome to part 4. In this series, we are looking at the cognitive biases and logical fallacies that all of us have and how these could be impacting the mass adoption of plug-in vehicles. We have looked at Cognitive Dissonance, Status Quo Bias, and Confirmation Bias. In this post we'll be looking at Ingroup Bias.
Ingroup Bias
We are social creatures. Our brains are wired to support our family and our tribe. We distinguish between those within this circle and those that are "other". In our modern world, this is expanded to patriotism, religious affiliation, political parties, and even sport fandom.
The ingroup bias is an expression of this tribal loyalty.
The biology of this effect is associated with oxytocin, the so-called "love molecule." This neurotransmitter helps us to forge tight bonds with our ingroup. It also spurs suspicious, fearful, and even disdainful of people not from our ingroup. This bias causes us to overvalue the opinions of our ingroup. This could be at the expense of ignoring experts that are far more qualified to offer advice.
The ingroup bias is another bias for the familiar. Much like the status quo bias causes us to prefer familiar methods and the confirmation bias causes us to prefer ideas that we already believe, the ingroup bias causes us to prefer people that we already know.
Ingroup Bias Applied to Plug-in Vehicles
Plug-in cars were the subject of scorn and ridicule by several conservative talk radio and opinion 'news' shows. They painted a picture of EVs as gutless golf carts only driven by liberal tree huggers and, therefore, not something for a "real American." This made plug-in cars a hot political issue. In 2012, GM said that the Chevy Volt was designed to pass crash testing, but not as a political football.
For a product to move to mass adoption, it has to transcend political groups. Smartphones, for example, are neither conservative nor liberal. The early marketing for EVs that focused on the environmental impacts, such as Nissan's polar bear ads, contributed to the division.
The good news is that this is changing. EV advertising has moved from environmental benefits to the more traditional joy of driving focus. This shift happened as more cars became available and the focus shifted from the early adopters of 2011 and 2012 to a wider scope of potential buyers.
Despite the shift, some of the tribal fractures from 2011/2012 still persist. If you are confronted with these, you must be tactful in your responses. Find out what matters to them and discuss how plug-in cars can help meet those needs. E.g., if they are concerned with the environment, that is easy, discuss the CO2 reductions by driving electric and how these can be even lower when the vehicle is renewably powered. If they are not environmentally minded, don't even bring this aspect up. Or if it comes up because they say something like, global warming is BS. You can tell them that Bob Lutz from GM felt the same way and he was the major force at GM that made the Volt. There are many other reasons beyond CO2 and global warming that EVs are great cars. Are they concerned with their monthly budget? There are lease deals for less than $150. This is less than what many people are spending monthly on gasoline. Are they concerned with government spending and national debt? The bulk of our defence spending in the middle east is to secure oil extraction and transportation routes. What about performance and safety...
Your perspective matters, but it is not the only one
If you are going to address the public as a plug-in advocate, you should be able to address all of these issues. It is important to be able to discuss what brought you to be behind the wheel of an EV, but you have to be able to articulate aspects EV ownership that work for other people as well.
You don't want argue with someone that their perspective is not valid. When you do, you paint yourself as part of their outgroup. Then you have no credibility with them. Can you address misconceptions? Sure, you can, but in a 5 minute conversation, you are generally far better off finding something that peaks their interest and starts them down the road to discover more information on their own.
Welcome to part 3. In this series we are looking at the cognitive biases and logical fallacies that all of us have and how these could be impacting the mass adoption of plug-in vehicles. We have looked at Cognitive Dissonance and Status Quo bias. In this post we'll be looking at Confirmation Bias.
Confirmation Bias
It's human nature to jump to conclusions. We "go with our gut" or "follow a feeling" and then we look for data that confirms where this jump landed us so we can then rejoice in how smart we were for knowing or deducing something from just a few clues. Our minds have great power to rationalize, in this case that power is put to work, not to question this conclusion, but to justify it. This is the confirmation bias and it is a shortcut to thinking. Like many of our mental glitches, it often serves us well. It allows for quick decisive action. It is those times where it does not serve us well that we must address.
Our natural tendency is to prove we are right, rather than critically dissect our assumptions. We save that for people that we don't agree with. Looking to prove ourselves right means that we search for confirming data and ignore everything else. In short, we cherry-pick data points. This is why you can have people on each side of an issue that are so sure that they are correct. Confirmation bias goes as far as to slant our perceptions of ambiguous data. This means that opposing side may be looking at the exact same data and both believe that it supports their side.
Pick a topic that is near and dear to you, a cherished belief, your favorite sports team... If you were to search for it on the Internet, you'll likely find many sites that agree with your sentiment. However, you'll likely find just as many sites that disagree with you. If you were to list these sites in two columns (agree and disagree), it is far more likely that you spend time visiting the sites in the agree column than the disagree column. And why not? These are the sites that "obviously know what they are talking about." A 2009 Ohio State study showed that we will spend 36% more time reading an essay that aligns with our opinions.
If you know, believe, or otherwise cling to an idea; you likely to hang out with other people (online or off) that feel the same way. This can all too easily create an echo chamber.
Echo chamber of the Internet
Within the echo chamber, there is no questioning whether this idea is correct. Such acts are shunned, criticisms are at best considered ignorant and at worst blasphemous.
Confirmation bias allows us to continue to believe something even when confronted with contrary evidence. Much like the status quo bias dismisses new alternatives without much consideration, the confirmation bias dismisses contrary evidence without due consideration.
Don't believe everything that you think.
To counteract this mental glitch, you will have to step outside of your comfort zone. You'll need to be willing to consider that some things that you currently believe may no longer be true and perhaps never were. If you can open your mind to this possibility, then you can begin to apply critical thinking and epistemology. You can examine what you know, how you came to this knowledge and determine if it holds up to scrutiny.
History is filled with things that were taught as fact and only later, in light of new information were they truly understood. Schools were established and volumes of tomes were written about the four humors and bloodletting, for example. The trailer for the book, You are Now Less Dumb, (which I highly recommend) explains this idea really well with a story about the "logical conclusion" that geese grow on trees and how it was believed and taught for 600 years. It illustrates that scrutinizing what we "know", the same way that we would scrutinize a statement contradictory to one we currently hold, is the best way to avoid getting caught in confirmation bias.
You are Now Less Dumb
Applying this to PEV Sales
The confirmation bias is one of the primary reasons that EV myths such as The long Tailpipe, or the inconvenients of recharge times, EM fields, fire danger, or range anxiety continue to linger long after exhaustive well-to-wheel and similar usage studies have been conducted. Cherry-picking data and anecdotal stories allows these myths to be repeated.
The fictional character Frank Underwood from House of Cards said "There’s no better way to overpower a trickle of doubt than with a flood of naked truth." I am going to disagree with Frank (and hope he does not push me in front of a train for it). The confirmation bias will allow this flood of naked truth to be ignored, discredited, and/or dismissed. In our case, I think the best way to overcome doubt is with a personal experience or "The Tesla Effect".
The Tesla Effect in physics is using induction to transmit information over great distances. Within the EV community it means something else. Put an EV-skeptic behind the wheel of a Tesla Roadster or Model S and let them experience the responsiveness, the power, the smooth acceleration. It feels like flying. This gives a new conclusion as their starting point.
Remember that the confirmation bias starts with a feeling, a conclusion, and then it puts our rational mind to work blustering it; seeking confirmation. "I like this, therefore it must be a good thing." This positive experience has a halo effect on all other aspects of the EV experience.
E.g., "EVs are just golf carts that take too long to charge," can turn into "I can rip down the road with no pollution and no gas bill. Who cares about recharge time. The car is sitting in the garage all night anyway."
This method is much simpler than asking someone to "study epistemology, reexamine all your assumptions, apply critical thinking, and then reason up from first principles." As rational as that request may sound, it is unreasonable and completely ignores the emotional core of our being that drives most of our decision making.
This is why it is important to get people behind the wheel of an EV. The EV grin really works. And it does not have to be a Tesla (although they are particularly persuasive). The Fiat 500e, Chevy Spark, smart electric drive, BMW i3, VW eGolf, Nissan Leaf, or the Chevy Volt are all great plug-in cars that are fun to drive. They all hop off the line quickly and have good 0-40 MPH times. There are many skeptics turned owners out there.
Guest post by Debbie Jimmerson, the City Captain of National Drive Electric Week in Lincoln City, OR
Our Lincoln City National Drive Electric Week celebration
was held on Saturday, September 13. We
were fortunate to be part of the Cruisin’ the Bay Car Show, held annually at
the Bay House Restaurant parking lot. On
a beautiful day at the central Oregon coast with whales spouting offshore, eight
shiny EVs and PHEVs were on display:
Bill
B., Salem & Otter Crest OR Chevy
Spark Electric
Gary
G., Hillsboro OR Tesla
Model S
Debbie
& Patrick J., Lincoln Beach OR Two
Nissan LEAFs
Wally K., Lincoln
City OR Smart
Electric Drive
Chris M.,
Vancouver WA Ford
Fusion Energi
Stephen O. & Lea
S., Olympia WA Tesla
Model S
Jaime & Chuck
W., Castle Rock WA & Chevy Volt
Lincoln Beach OR
Chevy Spark Electric and Smart Electric Drive
Spectators were treated to an outstanding variety
of cars to see. For an organizer
starting with our own two LEAFs and hoping to just put a little something
together for NDEW, the participant response was awe-inspiring. Owners were articulate, well informed,
excited about their cars, and enthusiastic ambassadors. Each car received considerable attention. We had informative posters acknowledging
national NDEW sponsors and local contributors, highlighting the charging
network in Oregon, and Gary brought a large poster from Oregon Electric VehicleAssociation showcasing different models of EVs.
Drives and rides were done by Stephen in a Tesla Model
S and Patrick in a Nissan LEAF. Twenty-two
people took advantage of the drive and rides, looping on Hwy. 101 from the
event south to Salishan, north to Lincoln City, and back to the event. For future events, we need bold signage to
call attention to the drive and rides. Another
hurdle was that some people thought we were dealers. We need to better convey that we’re private
owners wanting to share our enthusiasm for the cars with no sales pitch involved. For those who did the drive and rides,
typical comments heard afterward were, “Wow!” and “Now I know what my next car
will be!”.
Gary answers questions about his Tesla Model S. Chevy Volt and Ford Fusion Energi in
background. Drive and rides ready
to go on right--Nissan LEAF and Tesla Model S.
The classic car part of the show had 95 cars on
display. Hundreds of spectators were
present. Our NDEW group was adjacent to
and facing busy Hwy. 101, so visibility could not have been better. A few EV owners driving by even doubled back to
stop in and say hello. Problematic with
this setup are limited space and the display cars are preregistered, so EVs happening
by could not just pull in and join the group.
The car show organizers liked the use of car window
flags on the EVs. Each car had at least
one “Drive Electric” flag, with the 2011 LEAF and the Smart Electric Drive car
flying two. The American-made cars flew
an American flag in their other window. We needed more breeze for our display car flags to really be perfect,
but they were outstanding as the drive and ride cars sailed by. Car flags were sent home with owners for
future use.
The icing on the cake was when Stephen and Lea’s
Tesla Model S won the Cruisin’ the Bay Car Show’s Best in Class Post-1990’s
award:
Lea and Stephen traveled 205 miles from Olympia, WA.
Our car owners were each given a gift bag with National
Drive Electric Week items courtesy of Nissan. Having those items available as thank you gifts was essential for our
small event. Renee at Nissan went above
and beyond to make delivery happen, with UPS even showing up at the event! Owners also received beautiful glass floats
created by Bob Meyer from Ocean Beaches Glassblowing as his show of support for
National Drive Electric Week. Bob is a
Nissan LEAF driver and provides a L2 charging station at his shop in Seal Rock for
EV drivers. We also appreciated the unflagging
support and encouragement of Chris Chandler and Central Lincoln PUD (7.3
cents/kWh).
Overall, our event was an electrifying success
thanks to an exceptional group of EV owners. This organizer found that the national
team members and the resources provided by National Drive Electric Week, Plug
In America, Sierra Club, and Electric Auto Association were very helpful as
well as the city captains blog where we could trade ideas on the national
level.
As a first-time organizer in a less populated area,
we benefited greatly from collaborating with an established and popular show
such as this. An NDEW event would have
happened anyway, but it would not have been nearly as grand if the Cruisin’ the
Bay Car Show had not welcomed us in. We
were invited to participate in their planning meetings, included in their
promos, and chief organizer Scott Arehart kept me informed every step of the
way. They gave us a prime and highly
visible space. I did not have to worry
about permits, publicity, people to attend, or porta-potties.
The announcer said at the show that the EVs were
the wave of the future and the motto of this car show is all are welcome. We certainly felt that way. They also said the National Drive Electric
Week celebration added a great dimension to their show. Hopefully, we can continue the collaboration. Who knows if the stars will align to recreate
the same magic we had this year? The
bar’s been set very high, but we can certainly try!
Last year our team produced two race cars from scratch. One was powered by a combustion engine and the other a fully-electric vehicle - the first of its kind from Portland State. This year we strive to repeat this feat and secure a top ten finish in competition.
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