By: Diane Benjamin
I know some of you read stories on your phone and emails I post can be difficult to read on a small screen. Here’s the recap:
A Rivian employee wrote an email to Connect Transit because she considers them “experts in the Electric vehicle industry”. The email is dated November 28, 2023. Rivian was having problems charging vehicles, Rivians were losing charge while plugged in. She asked if Connect had room for them to charge vehicles inside. They didn’t but stated the batteries were probably using more charge to warm up than actually charge the battery. The chargers may be undersized.
I don’t think Rivian realizes that emails to public bodies aren’t a secret. They are subject to FOIA. The bottom of their email tried to claim the information was private.
Rivian owners who charge outside could have the same problem. I wonder if buyers are told?
The Rivian email address and phone number were redacted by me.
The response from a Connect Transit employee:
Fools talking to fools?
Why would you write, “of course not for free”? You’re asking to be charged taxpayer money. Why not let them make an overture to be paid. Don’t volunteer, Christine. Its not your money!!
Such elementary grammar from a [wannabe] fortune 500 company.
D.E.I. at its finest.
so one thing i learned about rivian vehicles is that they have an HVAC system that controls the battery temp…too hot or too cold the HVAC system runs to keep the batteries at a designated temperature. if its not constantly plugged in during this time the HVAC system still runs (off of batteries) to maintain itself until it cant and locks the software out. only a certified rivian tech can unlock the software, not covered under warranty, at the owners expense of around $1200. this info was given to me from a dealership who had a few “used” rivians around while temps were hot during the summer. they learned the hard way. how comical is this? im a hard pass on EV’s all together. my opinion is you want to “save the planet” first listen to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmo8sh77G6Y and if you still feel the need go hybrid or ride a bike
Hmm. Perhaps. They need to use a diesel generator to power a heater. That warms the batteries, while also charging and powering the motors. Oh wait. That’s a train. Diesel electric technology. But without batteries that are a huge waste.
Electric motors are very efficient and powerful. Diesel engines are excellent at turning huge turbines for electricity and make a lot of heat. Seems like a win/win. No weight from massive power cells/ batteries.
Can also use a turbine to turn the generator. They call them “APU’s” or power packs in the military. Small compact, efficient, produce heat if a battery is still wanted, and easy to maintain.
Toyota has hydrogen power cells that are replacing and/or enhancing existing fuel -carbon based- to power any engine. Diesel engines can be powered by a multitude of different sources.
For example, the M35A2 2.5 ton has a LDT 465, 478-cubic-inch (7.8 L), six-cylinder turbocharged , “multi fuel” engine, capable of developing 134 bhp (100 kW) and 330 pound-feet (447 N⋅m) of torque.
Multifuel engines are designed to operate reliably on a wide variety of fuels, including diesel fuel, kerosene, heating oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, gasoline mixed with oil and under short duration or emergency situations most any other carbon/petroleum based fluids (less efficiently). Multifuel engines such as this were designed to be reliable, efficient, and eventually led to the development of the engines of today that allow for alcohol and gasoline mixtures.
All of which can turn a generator that will produce electricity to run the very efficient and powerful electric motors that are now much smaller and capable of delivering torque/kinetic energy to the wheels unseen in mechanical drive shaft/transfer case piston powered vehicles. But the people and the free market must decide not the government through regulation, super powerful elites in Davos Switzerland or as in the email above clearly some wanna-be’s with mediocre academic pedigrees utilizing institutional bureaucracy and communicating like six graders.
For them it’s no alternative except there ideas, or what they happened to have invested their money in and may have gotten some quid pro quo or kickbacks for government favors, maybe, like stock market tips, sales figures, quarterlies the day before.
So Connect has a heated/cooled garage to keep the bus batteries at constant temperature? What kind of furnace is in this garage? Fossil fuel? Diesel busses aren’t kept in a garage. How is this saving the planet?
They have solar panels!
The garage is only heated, not cooled. And all buses park in there (fixed route and Connect Mobility). The garage has been heated since the facility was built around 2010, it had nothing to do with the purchase of EVs.
Rivian addressing Connect Transit as experts. LMAO!
Is that embarassing or what? An EV manufacturer rep asking a user of EV’s for advice.
This is hilarious. I wonder if they were pre-approved to send that email?
Has their stock value dropped again?
Yes
It’s really no laughing matter. In fact, it’s sad. It’s proof that city and town fathers and mothers did little to no due diligence on this company. They were so panicked about getting an occupant for the old plant, they took the first organization that showed more than a pedestrian interest in it and gave the farm away. The real truth about this operation and Clark Kent was out there for anyone willing to do the minimal research and what he promised other communities then just up and left. What makes it worse was the continuous victory laps local politicos and staff have made without knowing squat about the industry. Worst of all, many families have leveraged their futures on this outfit that looks to be totally out to lunch upstairs.
wow. Rivian program manager writes like Jr High student that got a D in english .
her word choices are midwit level.
Seriously , I think less of Rivian after reading this. These are the kind of people they hire ! lol.
Seeing Rivian line workers always lined up at the cannabis dispensaries and rivian program mgrs that can’t even write a professional email gives me pause as to the quality of their finished product.