EV Driver Violates Wheaton's Law

Background

When a gas car (internal combustion engine or ICE) blocks access to a charging station, it is known amongst EV drivers as "getting ICEd".

There is an online "name & shame" campaign for gas cars that parking where they shouldn't and block access to charging spots. This campaign was started by Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield (@aminorjourney). It works like this, when you see a parking spot that has been ICEd, take a picture and post it on the social media site(s) of your choice with the hashtags #YouCantParkHere #YouDontPlugIn. It is also a good idea to call parking enforcement, if applicable, and have the vehicle ticketed or towed.

#YouCantParkHere #IDontCareIfYouPlugIn

Recently I was at an event where there were hundreds of people and just four EV reserved parking spots. I was there early and parked in one of the EV spots, plugged in, and enjoyed the event. About 2 hours later, I was alerted that my car was full and I went over to unplug and move.

When I arrived, I found something that disgusted me. Next to the EV parking spots, were the ADA parking spots. A red Leaf had parked in the ADA ramp access area between an EV and an ADA modified vehicle. You can see where they parked in the photo below:

Illegally Parked Electric Car 

The Red Leaf apparently needed to charge. Maybe they thought this was the EV area? The spots to the right (where my car is) are clearly labeled as EV spots. The spots to the left were clearly marked as ADA spots.

Maybe they are hoping to get lucky, grab a few kilowatt-hours and move on before anyone noticed. That is not what happen. What drew my attention to this car was the hysterical mother of two that owned the white vehicle in the ADA spot. She had her two sons with her (one of them in a wheelchair). And they were unable to load the wheelchair into the vehicle because their access was block. She was mad and rightfully so.

It is NEVER ok to park in an ADA parking area unless you have an ADA permit. And it is NEVER ok to park in an ADA ramp access area for any reason.

I have friends with special needs children, these people are heroes. They don't need additional aggravation from arrogant self-centered EV drivers with an inflated sense of entitled. You drive a plug-in car, you are not single handedly saving the world.

What really upsets me in this case, is that the red Leaf was just two parking spaces from my car. On the dash in my car I had the PIA EV Card (shown below).

Plug In America EV Card

This card had my name and cellphone number on it. All they needed to do was call or text me and I would have moved my car and let them have the parking spot. Instead, they ruined the day for a family and made all EV drivers look bad.

To conclude the story, after she got off the phone with parking enforcement, I helped the mother find a nearby area where she could load her son into the vehicle.

Drive an EV for Less Than Your Gas Bill

Smart Electric in Portland

For the second year in a row this offer is being extended to OEVA members.

Drive an EV for less than your monthly gasoline payments.

Oregon Electric Vehicle Association (OEVA) members can get a 36 month lease on the new smart electric car for $140/month (total including down payment and battery lease!) from the smart center of Portland.

Instead of paying at the pump, you can drive a new car.

This is even better than last year's $155/month offer.

If the range and size meet your needs, this is a great price for an EV. If you're interested, join the OEVA (just $20 per year), then email Bryce Nash:

Jaguar Land Rover wants to hear from Oregon EV drivers

An RSVP Jaguar Land Rover event for EV drivers tonight (9/15/15) in the Pearl district. 

--- Forward -------------------------------------

Hello, 

We are hoping to invite more of your members to our event tonight. 

On behalf of Jaguar Land Rover, you are warmly invited to celebrate the kick-off of National Drive Electric Car Week and attend an exclusive event, tonight, in celebration of the electric car!

As a forward-thinking electric car owner, you and your guest will be allowed to go behind closed doors for an exclusive look into the Jaguar Land Rover research Lab, where you will connect with other electric car owners, and have the opportunity to share your own point of view with Jaguar Land Rover executives from the US and UK. The event will include food, cocktails and raffle prizes, including an iPad mini.

If you are interested, or know others who are, please email reganwnelson@gmail.com to RSVP, as this is an invitation only event.

Time and address will be given once individuals RSVP. We prefer not to post the time and address publicly so we can handle RSVPs.

Thanks for your consideration. 

Regan

Squeegee Not Included

When you drive an electric vehicle (BEV), you save a lot of time and money on maintenance. There are no fuel filters, spark plugs, oil changes, transmission fluid (many don't have transmissions). The brakes last longer because of regenerative braking. "Fuel" for an EV is about one 5th of cost compared to gasoline. In short, the operating cost for an EV is much less.

However, there is one additional expense that I feel I must mention. If you buy an EV, make sure you buy a squeegee.

Now that I don't go to the gas station any more, my windows are getting dirty! The horror. People must know! A squeegee should be included with the purchase of any plug-in vehicle. By not doing so, auto companies are clearly conscripting us to gas station visits, if not to buy gas then to buy Doritos and lottery tickets! Please share this and spread the word of EV-squeegee awareness ;)

Mental "Glitches" Are Slowing EV Sales (part 2 - Status Quo)

In part 1 of this series we examined how Cognitive Dissonance could impact the mass adoption of plug-in vehicles. In part 2, we'll explore the status quo bias.

Status Quo Bias

We all have routines. These routines are well honed and comfortable. Change is hard; it disrupts these routines and forces us to form new habits. During this disruption period we could do something foolish and mess up our whole life, or so the fear goes.

Our brains are wired to follow what we know. If you can take a path that you have walked many times or one that may also get you to your destination, you'll likely take the known path (despite Robert Frost's advice). The road less traveled is often jagged, thorny, and a dead end.

If you need to be at work for an early meeting, how likely are you to try out a new route for the first time that morning? When you are under time pressure, you do what you know works. This is common sense and likely the smart thing to do. However, if you fall back on this 'take the known path' pattern without true consideration of the alternatives, you have fallen into the status quo trap. The perniciousness of this bias is the implicit assumption that alternatives to the status quo are automatically inferior.

Here are a few phrases that might tip you off that you or someone else is using status quo bias justification:

• This is how we have always done it.
• This was good enough for my parents. 
• That is how I was taught.

Throughout history, this bias has slowed the adoption for technology. Here are two quick examples: wristwatches and forks.

Wristwatches

Although wristwatchs date back the late 1500s, it was only after 3 centuries (the late 1800s) that they were seen as more than a woman's fashion accessory. The British Army began using wristwatches during colonial military campaigns. Using a pocket watch in the heat of battle or while mounted on a horse was impractical. During the First World War, tactics that required precise synchronization emerged. This meant that officers on all sides began to wear wristwatches. Military pilots found them more convenient than a pocket watch for much the same reason as the mounted infantry. Upon returning home, the public perception shifted drastically and the wristwatch found mass market adoption in the post WWI era. By 1930, the ratio of wristwatches to pocket-watches was 50 to 1.

Forks

This humble eating utensil is arguably the most ubiquitous tool on the planet. This was not always the case. When the fork was first introduced to the western world, it had detractors. It was considered unnecessary, effeminate, and only needed by those who were not skilled enough with traditional implements. The Roman Catholic Church expressly disapproved of it, calling it an "excessive delicacy." The fork, however, did find an enthusiastic niche. In the 11th century, the Italian peninsula hailed it as the perfect device for twirling long pasta noodles such as spaghetti and fettuccine. Still, forks were not commonly used in Western Europe until the 16th century. It was not until the 18th century that forks became common in Great Britain and North America.

Impact on technology adoption

Ok, so wristwatches and forks took centuries after their invention to reach mass adoption. Status quo cannot be the only cause of the slow adoption of these two innovations, but the status quo was clearly set against them. The good news is that there are plenty of examples of new technology being adopted faster than on a scale measured in centuries.

New Economy Handbook: Hall and Khan November 2002

Times change. And when they do, we need to adapt.

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change."
~ Attributed to Charles Darwin (although there is no proof that he ever said this)

Since that quote's origin is suspect, let's use another:

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
~ Albert Einstein

The status quo bias would keep us in exactly the same model of thinking that we have always used.

Back to Plug-In Vehicles

Gasoline is the status quo today. It is easy for most people to just continue doing things the way they always have and to keep going to the pump. As long as gas prices stay below $4 USD per gallon, most people don't complain too much and would likely fall into the status quo.

What would it take to make them reconsider this habit?

It takes motivation to make a change. Wristwatches were spurred by crisis and forks by an enthusiastic niche. PEVs have both of these today.

• Crisis: Take your pick: National Debt, Global Security, Climate Change, Environmental Damage...
• Enthusiastic Niche: The owners of plug-in vehicles are enthusiastic. They have clubs, forums, events, and even blogs (like this one). PEVs have owner satisfaction rates that are far above their gas-powered counterparts.

The growth of EV sales from 2011 - 2014 has been double-digit year-over-year growth, albeit still small, it shows no sign of slowing and it shows that the status quo bias can be overcome.


Thanks for reading part 2. Here is the link to part 3: Confirmation Bias

Oregon EV News of the Week 2014 Sept 9

Your weekly digest of Oregon Electric Vehicle news, events, &

multimedia. Feel free to forward it. To get on (or off) the mailing 

list, just email me: patrick (at) oeva (dot) org.

Stay current with us on twitter, facebook, google+, or paper.li.

Top Stories =================================================

National Drive Electric Week events start next week. There are Oregon events

in Lincoln City, Eugene, Wilsonville, & Portland (& Pasco, Wa).

Upcoming Oregon EVents ======================================

o We'll Be There: Cruisin' The Bay Car Show at Lincoln City, Sept 13 http://pic.twitter.com/N80zZG2pI7

o The Battery Show, September 16-18, 2014 Novi, Michigan http://buff.ly/1cqo3M4 

o National Drive Electric Week Lincoln City, Sept 13 http://buff.ly/1o811j1 

o National Drive Electric Week Eugene, Sept 14 http://buff.ly/1o80kq5 

o National Drive Electric Week: Portland, Sept 20th http://buff.ly/WCH1hg 

o National Drive Electric Week Pasco, Sept 20 http://buff.ly/1o81txS 

o National Drive Electric Week Wilsonville, Sept 20 http://buff.ly/1oNXDZY 

o Driving on Sunshine: Opportunities for EVs w/ Solar Power, Sept 23 http://buff.ly/1rDyUzj 

o Nadaka Park Cleanup & Community Fest - We'll be there! Sept 27 http://buff.ly/1tqOETE 

Northwest EV News ==========================================

o Oregon company helps big rigs plug-in & save money instead of idling  http://buff.ly/WAV5HR 

o Oregon to Subsidize Electric Car Charging Stations For State Workers http://buff.ly/1ojxWkM 

o The Zero Emission Road Trip completes their 1st pass through Oregon http://buff.ly/1urkVKS 

o Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley on the Brammo Empulse R http://pic.twitter.com/EmuzTOLQjx

o Oregon Wave Energy Device Tested http://buff.ly/1qv399h 

o Bike Beyond What is Humanly Possible w/ EcoSpeed Electric Boost — Kickstarter http://buff.ly/1quZsAm 

o 1,500-Mile Nissan LEAF Zero-Emission Road Trip - Progress Update 1 http://buff.ly/1qjlIxs 

o Oregon Alternative Fuel Vehicle State Tax Credit Certificate Auction, Oct 13th http://buff.ly/1pu36VX 

o Schneider EVSE Discount at Home Depot http://buff.ly/1qrjAmR 

o Brammo's latest patent filings Unveiled http://buff.ly/1vQ8Q4I 

o Oregon One of Only Five States For '15 Kia Soul EV Launch http://buff.ly/1nZduFA 

o Follow Tyrel & Trish's Zero-Emission Road Trip Through Oregon http://buff.ly/1x83ovJ 

Photos & Videos ============================================

o Pine Meadows in Cottage Grove, OR: 1,500 Mile Road Trip http://pic.twitter.com/ejth9k8Wne

o The new quick charger in Woodburn, OR is next to a new 200 panel solar array! http://buff.ly/1pFXeyU  http://pic.twitter.com/ObA39LRtzU

o Sustainable electric-assist delivery in Portland http://pic.twitter.com/AvnIVkUAXq

o Brammo Empulse vs. Tesla Model S at Laguna Seca Raceway - YouTube http://buff.ly/1qmbuMO 

o Tesla Model S w/ Electroluminescent Coating - vimeo http://buff.ly/1urJesb 

o The "long tailpipe" is shrinking! EVs get greener every year. http://pic.twitter.com/RnC2bFgFmW

o Elon Musk speaks about the choice of Nevada for the Tesla Gigafactory - YouTube http://buff.ly/1tBURPc 

o Let's Take A Look checks out the Chevy Volt - YouTube http://buff.ly/1xo2coc 

o Kick Gas Movie http://buff.ly/WkDt2Z  http://pic.twitter.com/3PyLCFgAcN

o Formula E - the story so far - Sept 13th is coming - YouTube http://buff.ly/1qz9Ln7 

Other EV News of Note =======================================

o Why Tesla Has The Most Loyal Customers  http://buff.ly/1lLZJ1E  

o DIY JuiceBox EVSE - High-Power Level 2 EV Charging Station for $179 http://buff.ly/1qycPQk 

o GM CEO tells CNBC "In the next 5-10 years, we'll see more change in this industry then we did in the last 30."

o Nissan LEAF Is Making Rivals Green w/ Envy http://buff.ly/1w1zE25 

o Charging Station Market To Grow by 33% Annually Through 2018 http://buff.ly/1qvTCyJ 

o ABB & Greenlots partner w/ Kia for DC fast charger rollout http://buff.ly/1qtDgXe 

o Electric motorcycle rider win 1st in Vetter Fuel Economy Challenge http://buff.ly/1qs4u0A 

o Nissan LEAF Sets All Time EV Sales Record For August In US http://buff.ly/1w7oiqL 

o Chevrolet Volt Crosses 2,500 Sales In US For First Time This Year http://buff.ly/1qpaBmc 

o Big Summer Story You Missed: Soaring Oil Debt http://buff.ly/1pplDTr 

o BC couple move because of landlord will not let them plug in EV - one of them is blind http://buff.ly/1vO8j3m 

o EVs now a little greener: 100% of all new US energy capacity in July 2014 was renewable http://buff.ly/W801ns 

o $55 million in new federal funding for vehicle R&D, 19 EV projects http://buff.ly/1qmCdZ6 

=D~~~ Live Regeneratively!

Schneider EVSE Discount at HomeDepot.com

In honor of National Drive Electric Week, Home Depot and Schneider are offering a discount on the Schneider home charging station all this month. This is not an endorsement, just passing on something that looks like a good deal. 

Author : Sarah Kellner

With National Drive Electric Week just around the corner, electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts are ramping up for a frenzy of fun events that will help boost awareness about eco-friendly transportation. Just in time for this yearly event, Schneider Electric is offering a hot summer discount on their already-affordable $599 EVlink 30 Amp Generation 2.5 home charging station. When you buy online at homedepot.com and use the promo code: EVLINKSUMMER (case sensitive) you can receive $100 off of the charger now through September 30, 2014.

The EVlink charger is not only intuitive with easy-to-read lighting sequences, but also has a convenient delay timer which allows users to set their charging window ahead of time to off-peak hours so that you can conserve energy.

According to Mike Calise, Schneider’s  Senior Director, EV, the delay timer allows users to “Take advantage of these lower rates, without the hassle; simply set-and-go to save money, time and energy (kWh).”

In addition to its sleek, minimalist design, this EV charger also comes with a free customizable skin.

To find out if your EV is compatible with this charger, please call 1-888-778-2733.

Oregon EV News of the Week 2014 Sept 2

We are in the early days of a better era!

Your weekly digest of Oregon Electric Vehicle news, events, &

multimedia. Feel free to forward it. To get on (or off) the mailing 

list, just email me: patrick (at) oeva (dot) org 

Stay current with us on twitter, facebook, google+, or paper.li.  

Top Stories =================================================

1,500-Mile Nissan LEAF Zero-Emission Road Trip Comes to Oregon http://goo.gl/mSu7RA

o Hello, Oregon! http://pic.twitter.com/94lPwzlTKg

o Hanging out on Electric Avenue. Riker's first time in the big city! http://pic.twitter.com/FjgBD4sjIK

o Charging at @AeroVironmentEV in Woodburn and came across a Honda Fit EV. http://pic.twitter.com/rtmVtoB2ov

o The new quick charger in Woodburn, OR is next to a new 200 panel solar array! http://ow.ly/i/6KQbx 

o Tyrel & Trish arrive at Electric Avenue in Portland on their 1500 mile Zero-Emission Road Trip http://pic.twitter.com/uhfMYKPiHU

o Charging next to an electric Ford Focus at Castle Rock. Don't see these often! http://pic.twitter.com/PPbvZ8AdF5

Upcoming Oregon EVents ======================================

o Southern Oregon Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Show, Sept 6th http://pic.twitter.com/DQa42du976

o Silent Thunder, Sept 6 at Pacific Raceways, EV racing & car show http://pic.twitter.com/RAxLlf5Emx

o We'll Be There: Cruisin' The Bay Car Show at Lincoln City, Sept 13 http://pic.twitter.com/N80zZG2pI7

o The Battery Show, September 16-18, 2014 Novi, Michigan http://buff.ly/1cqo3M4 

o National Drive Electric Week: Portland, Sept 20 http://buff.ly/1uDOKY3 

o Driving on Sunshine: Opportunities for EVs w/ Solar Power, Sept 23 http://buff.ly/1rDyUzj 

o Nadaka Park Cleanup & Community Fest - We'll be there! Sept 27 http://buff.ly/1tqOETE 

Northwest EV News ==========================================

o Google Lets You Tour Seattle's Tesla Store Without Ever Leaving Home http://buff.ly/1nR1WnR 

o EV Roadmap 7 Conference Presentations are Availble for Free http://buff.ly/1q0djid 

o Now is definitely the time to buy a Brammo electric motorcycle http://buff.ly/1AZPdHG 

o Oregon protester details the Alberta Tar Sands devastation http://buff.ly/1wLTBeE 

o Brammo plans to keep jobs in Rogue Valley http://buff.ly/1pmu8of 

o Wyden Tours Brammo Motorcycle Facility http://buff.ly/1zHnWY2 

o Southern Oregon University cuts carbon deal worth about two Chevy Volts http://buff.ly/XTBxju 

o Portland's air quality may be more hazardous than previously thought http://buff.ly/1AUIwGX 

Photos & Videos ============================================

o Shane Turpin wheelies over the finish line to win the eSuperSport race! http://pic.twitter.com/DRfkAJERvg

o Ultimate Climate Change Challenge Course at Laurelhurst Park http://pic.twitter.com/cXGs4oocdc

o Introducing the Black Zombie 222 - YouTube http://buff.ly/1pkh4cZ 

o Communities Powered by Travel: McKenzie River, Oregon - YouTube http://buff.ly/1qSAMhk 

o Nissan Leaf at Crater Lake by Charles Bonville http://pic.twitter.com/PoiqJWbg8D

o Tesla Model S Cars on Display in Lake Oswego, Oregon - "Mama, I want that car!" http://buff.ly/1mSPJ1H 

o Solowheel by Oregon company appears in "New Thang" video - YouTube http://buff.ly/1ARUd0R 

o Kick Gas Movie Official Trailer - YouTube http://buff.ly/1qlEgN3 

o Tesla Fan Ad: Live For Today With An Eye On Tomorrow - vimeo http://buff.ly/1wXcGe3 

o BMW i8 From Production To Delivery - video http://buff.ly/1n59Slo 

o Disruption - vimeo http://buff.ly/1qNxCz7 

o Reflecting Oregon - vimeo http://buff.ly/1qbyeyy 

o Please don't take off your straightjacket while riding a Solowheel - YouTube http://buff.ly/1zRLj1c 

o BMW i3 - A No Compromise Plug-In Vehicle - video http://buff.ly/1AWxnoW 

o Oil and recessions http://pic.twitter.com/PRu4r17gYM

o Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid: Choices - YouTube http://buff.ly/1pfmsnu 

o Tesla Model S vs Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid - video http://buff.ly/1nAvsy0 

o US Plug-in Vehicle Market Share via InsideEVs http://pic.twitter.com/bkjWS7KDqV

Other EV News of Note =======================================

o 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf First Drive http://buff.ly/1qlBdEw 

o Mental "Glitches" Slowing EV Sales (part 1) http://buff.ly/1pkl0KF 

o World EV sales hit half a million http://buff.ly/1wYSBEe 

o Tesla Model X Will "Devour" Premium Crossover Market http://buff.ly/1qTjbWz 

o KillaJoule Sets Electric Motorcycle Speed Record (w/video) http://buff.ly/1tQPAlB 

o New MIT Study shows big health & economic benefits for reducing CO2 http://buff.ly/1qsXcbt 

o 2015 VW e-Golf First Drive http://buff.ly/1pi5Efy 

o 2016 Volvo XC90 Will Be Only Seven-Passenger Plug-In Hybrid http://buff.ly/1p98wWm 

o Old car batteries could make cheaper, more efficient solar panels http://buff.ly/1nEYRHn 

o The B-Class gets a D Grade http://buff.ly/XRt7Jx 

o Tesla & GM Race to Build the Tipping Point Electric Car http://buff.ly/1AS2Oke 

o National Drive Electric Week: A Coast-to-C?oast View http://buff.ly/1sxvvh6 

o 2015 EV-Fleet 100-Mile BEV Light Weight Truck http://buff.ly/1mOpfhV 

=D~~~ Live Regeneratively!

Mental "Glitches" Slowing EV Sales (part 1)

Plug-in cars are finally here. The Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt have been on sale since December of 2010. New plug-in vehicle models are coming out each year. Plug-in car sales are growing at an exponential rate but they are still only a small fraction of total vehicle sales.

The plug-in cars that were leased or put into fleet service in '11 and '12 are now showing up on the used market at very good prices.

If plug-in cars are available, cheaper to "fuel", and are better for the environment; why are they still a small part of total vehicle sales? What is it that would prevent someone from buying a plug-in vehicle next time they are in the market for a new car?

The human mind is an incredible and powerful thing capable of 10¹⁶ processes per second, but it is flawed in several ways. We all have cognitive biases and employ logical fallacies. These are mental shortcuts that allow us to arrive at conclusions faster than we would if we had to reason everything out from first principles every time we need to make a choice. Each of us make thousands of choices during a typical day. Many of these are made on "autopilot" with little or no thought. Our mental shortcuts are great if they get us to the right place; however, when they lead us astray, they are mental glitches that must be reexamined.

Applying to this to our topic, we'll explore what cognitive biases could be preventing the mass adoption of plug-in cars.

Cognitive Dissonance

Number one on the list is Cognitive Dissonance. It is the discomfort felt when someone holds two or more contradictory behaviors, beliefs, or ideas. Put simply, your brain wants consistency in your actions and beliefs. People in the throes of cognitive dissonance, have a driving need to reduced or resolve the inconsistency. To avoid this discomfort, your mind will go to great lengths to justify, rationalize, or at least minimize any inconsistency.

In dealing with these inconsistencies your brain can be ingenious. Cognitive dissonance is number one on the list because many of the other cognitive biases are employed to appease or reduce the discomfort.

Most people don't want to pollute, encourage global conflict, increase national debt, or fund terrorism. Using gasoline is correlated to all of these. Yet most people also want the convenience of fast fill-ups, doing what they already know, while buying cheap cars. This creates a cognitive dissonance for many people on the roads today.

To address this fuel pump dissonance, our minds employ many tricks. We'll explore several of them in the posts that follow.


(Part 2 - Status Quo) Mental "Glitches" Are Slowing EV Sales 

About this series

I have just read over my first draft of this article and I see that it could all too easily be interpreted as "If you are not driving a plug-in car, you have a mental glitch." While many of the PEV-driving readers of this blog may agree with that tactless statement, that is NOT what I am trying to say.

Rather, this is an examination of many of the perception obstacles that PEVs must overcome before they can be mass market vehicles. This information is intended to be useful to anyone advocating or marketing plug-in vehicles.

The B-Class gets a D Grade

I recently went to my local Mercedes-Benz dealer to try out the new B-Class Electric Drive. I had called a couple days before and found out that they had one test drive unit in stock and 15 more cars were coming soon. Twelve of those 15 were already sold. When I arrived, I was warmly greeted and a salesman quickly came up and said that we could go for a spin. We stepped out and he brought the car out from the service area where it was plugged in. He hopped out and gave me the driver's seat.

Before mashing the accelerator (don't call it a gas pedal) and taking off, I wanted get to know the inside of the car. The first thing I wanted to see was if the navigation system showed where charging stations could be found. I pressed the Navi button. A navigation menu popped up. I didn't see anything that jumped out for charging stations. I went to tap on the POI selection. The salesman then informed me that it was not a touchscreen. There was a knob on the center console used to navigate the menu. Searching under POI and a couple other places, we came up blank. Ironically, all the nearby gas stations were prominently displayed on the map. This was disappointing.

Next I wanted to see the state-of-charge. The available range was shown in the center of the driver's display, but I could not find a true SOC. To make it even worse, the available range was displaying zero. My sales guy went in to get the B-Class product specialist, aka the only guy that has taken the electric drive training that they are all supposed to complete soon.

He came out and looked at the car and said that it was not charged. The sales guy explained that it had been on the charger all day. The specialist said that they had been having problems with that charger and that it apparently was not working. They have an outdoor charger too but it was currently ICEd. The car did not support any type of DC fast charge, so I was out of luck. I would not get to drive the car.

I zipped around in the parking lot a little and then parked the car. It was smooth, quiet, and peppy. I stepped out and snapped a few pictures. Maybe I'll try again soon. Here are my photos:

Despite having a larger (28 kWh) battery pack, the range of 87 miles is only 3 miles more than the 2014 Leaf (24 kWh). The acceleration is slower than BMW i3. There is no category that I see where this car stands out. It is not a well thought out EV, as demonstrated by the navigation and lacking battery display. It seems rather that Mercedes said "Tesla knows how to make EVs. Let's give them a car to put an electric drivetrain in."

I am happy to see more EV models on the road, but I would not recommend this one. If Mercedes continues down the EV path, they can revise and improve greatly on this vehicle. The Smart ED was not a good EV until their 3rd model year IMHO. But Smart stuck with it. They listened to feedback and made improvements. I hope Mercedes does the same.

I give the B-Class a grade of D, but they could be in the running for most improved next year.