G. David Felt

Shirt is different, are we supposed to notice something else?

These are very common here in Washington state for people who have property in the mountains, yet still not legal on the public roads here just like your Chevrolet Tank above.

Are you talking about the GMC EV Reveal?

Coworker has two dogs, the young one is fine and goes out and in from the house to the yard. The other dog is 16 years old and has no vision for the peripheral. Sad pup just waits for momma to let him in even though the door is open. She even put up yellow sticky strips to help the dog and yet it still just waits.

WOW, Ford is just killing it on having all types of models / version of the Bronco. Special-Edition Ford Bronco Everglades Engineered and Outfitted to Take on Extreme Adventures with Confidence | Ford Media Center Lots of pics at the media link above with more details on this Everglade edition.

I agree, a very nice and much needed change in the auto styling. I am also excited to see how much more space they can get on the inside of these BEVs. As you know, space is always important for this guy. Ford is nailing it also with their Electric Pro Version of the transit van. They have started shipping to customers and are on track to build and deliver at least 10,000 electric vans this year alone and will contribute to Ford delivering 600,000 electric autos in 2023. Built for America, Ready for Work: Ford Pro™ Begins Shipping Electric E-Transit to Customers, Works to Boost Production | Ford Media Center

Seems everyone is talking about the next Chevrolet EV that will be important for GM to hit as a homerun and that is the Chevrolet Tahoe. Since GM has always tied the looks of the trucks to SUVs, seems the artist have been busy at work here: Why The Electric Chevrolet Tahoe Will Be An Important Model | CarBuzz Then we also have this from the Instagram account for GM Design https://www.instagram.com/p/CYnHDMmMaYd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The nearly $5 billion dollar NEVI program is to help states create a network of EV charging stations along the Interstate Highway System. The total amount available under Fiscal Year 2022 is $615 million and states must submit an EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan before access is given to the funds. A second, competitive grant program will be announced later this year with the details on how additional funding can be accessed with a focus on increasing EV charging access throughout the country that is focused on rural and underserved communities. This will help drive charging numbers across the country. Quote the press release: “A century ago, America ushered in the modern automotive era; now America must lead the electric vehicle revolution,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help us win the EV race by working with states, labor, and the private sector to deploy a historic nationwide charging network that will make EV charging accessible for more Americans.” “We are modernizing America’s national highway system for drivers in cities large and small, towns and rural communities, to take advantage of the benefits of driving electric,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is helping states to make electric vehicle charging more accessible by building the necessary infrastructure for drivers across America to save money and go the distance, from coast-to-coast.” A part of this Bipartisan program is that the hardware is all to be made in America with details to be found here: EV Charger Manufacturing in America A key part of this is the commitment to purchase 30,000 DC Fast chargers per year made in America by Tritium at the Lebanon, Tennessee manufacturing facility that will employ 500 local jobs alone. This is on top of major announcements for key investments in U.S. manufacturing by Intel, General Motors, Boeing, Ford, Siemens, ABB, Freewire Technologies and Dunamis Clean Energy Partners. These companies are focusing on ensuring the U.S. has ample supply of semiconductors, electric vehicles, aircraft, batteries, both current Lithium-ion and all-solid-state, EV charging from home Level 2 chargers to DC Fast chargers and commercial DC Fast Chargers for commercial autos. This program is also working to ensure minorities and especially woman-owned businesses are included in all levels of business in relation to the future of the electric auto industry and supporting supply chain needs in North America. This is just a start as the Bipartisan Program also includes $7 Billion in funding to secure American EV supply chain, from materials processing to battery manufacturing and recycling. The bill also will take the EV Charging Network to a total of $7.5 Billion dollars as they bring online the national public charging network that covers rural and underserved communities. NEVI will build on the Alternative Fuel Corridors that nearly every state has designated over the past six years. These alternative Fuel Corridors will be the spine of the National EV Charging Network. An example of this is the West Coast Electric Highway that started by ensuring charging was available at rest stops and local restaurants from Vancouver BC, Canada south through Washington, Oregon and California ending in Baja California. This allowed people with BEVs to make road trips all along the west coast and have access to recharging. It has since expanded over the last decade to include many state roads. The coastal road of highway 101 as well as the inner-city highway 99 are both included in the west coast electric highway system. West Coast Green Highway: West Coast Electric Highway For those that are interested in everything from tools, assistance to jobs in the growing field of zero-emission transportation infastructure, a new web site has been build and is open for folks to review as it is a joint effort by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. Home Page · Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (driveelectric.gov) For those that like a quick list of facts and the details supporting this here is the 411 or detailed go to for information. FHWA Notice N 4510.863 - Apportionment Of Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Highway Infrastructure Program Funds for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program Pursuant to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act | Federal Highway Administration (dot.gov) The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program Guidance (dot.gov) 2.8.22 Clean Draft per HCC edits (dot.gov) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - 5-year National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Funding by State | Federal Highway Administration (dot.gov) I will say that it is a very interesting observation that those states that have been very resistance to BEVs and the whole green new deal for power in the south are some of the very states getting some of the largest funding for NEVI. A quick example of this is Texas with $407,774,759 in NEVI funding and Florida with $198,057,481 in NEVI funding. Current Fiscal Year 2022 Funding by State This program is aimed at having the U.S. lead the world in a move to BEVs and put the U.S. on a course to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. President Biden, USDOT and USDOE Announce $5 Billion over Five Years for National EV Charging Network, Made Possible by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law | US Department of Transportation President Biden, DOE and DOT Announce $5 Billion over Five Years for National EV Charging Network | Department of Energy President Biden, USDOT and USDOE Announce $5 Billion over Five Years for National EV Charging Network, Made Possible by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law | FHWA Alternative Fuel Corridors - Environment - FHWA (dot.gov) View full article

Have to say after seeing this picture, I am even more impressed with how well the engineering of the Rivian R1T truck is. The battery pack did not catch fire but something else did and was quickly extinguished. Check Out This Rivian R1T That Crashed Into A Pole: Fire Reported (msn.com)

Washington state has a vehicle code that makes it illegal to have anything that is not OEM that can block your line of vision. As such, huge, oversized exhaust pipes like the one on the car and the Lawnmower add on to the hood blocks visibility and would not be legal here.

One has to wonder how the Police allow stuff like this on the road. Are these mods even legal? I can see the Oregon plate auto having serious forward blind spots.

Very Cool, awesome what you did. Great that she has a loving home. Saw GM just posted this and so I figure I would upload it here from their global media web site. Great video on the Mid-Engine Corvette Convertible. Per GM's Press Release: The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible promises an exciting journey of unlimited possibilities. Corvette’s relentless pursuit of performance, technical ingenuity and attainability have made it an American icon through eight generations. The first-ever mid-engine and hardtop convertible from the nameplate has the same aeronautic design theme as the coupe, as well as exceptional storage capacity and track capability, making it a supercar for every day. The 6.2L LT2 Small Block V-8 engine and Chevrolet’s first eight-speed dual-clutch transmission combine for the most no-compromise Corvette convertible in history. Chevrolet-Corvette-Stingray-Convertible.mp4

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Reviews have shown people want cheap tires and a tire that does not go flat, plenty of stories on how people want less maintenance, that is the point. No I do not have run-flat tires on my SUVs and you know that cause the Michelin tires I have stated are not available in run-flat. Reviews and tire testing has shown the defender M/S tire to be one of the best and safest out there. Yup, Seattle does have a homeless problem, but that has nothing to do with this discussion. As a area that has high job growth, income growth you end up with more traffic and more people who seem to not take care of their auto's and then mix in debris from construction and boom, tire issues. I am grateful for the Midwest and the farmers but would never want to live there. Been there due to a ton of family that lives in Missouri and hate the heat on top of it being way too flat for my tastes and no skiing. Love my lifestyle here. Will retire and die here. Michelin Defender LTX M/S Tire Reviews | Mavis Discount Tire (mavistire.com) Michelin Defender LTX M/S Tire Reviews | Updated 2022 (worldtirereview.com) Michelin Defender LTX M/S Review: 2021 Analysis - Drive55 Michelin Defender LTX M/S Review - Truck Tire Reviews Michelin Defender LTX M/S [T] tire - Consumer Reports Michelin Defender LTX M/S| Tirebuyer For the most part, the buying public have rated these top tires and even professional reviews also have rated them at the top for a tire.

Seems according to Wiki that in 1938 a patent was given to J.V. Martin for airless tires. Airless tire - Wikipedia This story says Michelin has been working on the Uptis tire for the last 21 years. Airless tires get their public test drive (freethink.com) Course plenty of both no you do not and yes you do want this tech as here is another story on yes you want this tech. Airless tires: Why you'll want this game-changing technology - Roadshow (cnet.com) This might be the Story @balthazar is thinking of about airless tires. Popular Science - Google Books

Cool picture, thanks for posting had not seen this before. Will be interesting to see how this plays out. Does Michelin become a rim/tire provider for the auto OEM companies if they go this way? Seems Bridgestone is also targeting Airless tires for 2024/2025 on auto's. Airless Tires (bridgestonetire.com) Hankook Tire exhibits futuristic airless concept tire i-Flex at CES 2022 Seems there are 3 approaches to the airless tire that the tire industry is looking at: Bonded tires where they are chemically attached to a rim. Press on Tire, where the tire is stretched as it is pressed onto the rim. Segmented Tire considered the best where they have a series of bolts attaching to the rim. Rim is reusable when needed or changeable as the tire is bolted to the rim. Michelin is currently using a segmented approach for the tires, Hankook is using Press on Tire and Bridgestone is currently using Bonded.

I am going to agree to disagree. Cheap tire issue with low air pressure is a user issue, but also a cheap tire issue, any tire issue of flatness that can be resolved if the so-called airless tires are cost effective, perform right and resolves a failure point for people. Again, running over stuff is a user issue, but also an issue if you cannot afford a more durable tire that can handle road trash. I know not everyone can afford BF Goodrich tires that have Kevlar in the sidewall to be puncture resistant. If you have an airless tire like this, running over stuff that would cause not only a loss of air pressure but also tire damage that could possibly cause an accident is a safety benefit of the airless tire. Again, built in quantity so that price is low to be on all autos, but especially appliance type autos just improve safety and reliability for all. Yes, Yes, I do see plenty of people on the side of the freeway system here as I do the grocery shopping and deliver food, medicine, etc. to the grandparents and great grandparents on both side of the family that are staying as safe as possible due to Covid. Here we have a massive Lite Rail system being installed along I5 from Lynnwood Washington to Federal Way Washington. These 45 miles has terrible road debris from all the construction. Seems nails, screws, etc. are all over and as such I see plenty of Appliance Auto's alongside the road getting help due to tire issues. Probably a difference in regions, but the advertising here is always cheap tires mounted and balanced for $399. Considering how I view safety for my family and friends that ride with us in our auto's, I have never paid under a $1k for a complete set of tires. I do run Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires on all my auto's. They are expensive, but the safety is worth it to me. Quiet, solid dependable tires, better than the Bridgestone that used to be on my SUVs. End result is that if we could have a solid performing airless tire that could handle what would be possible tire damage to a traditional tire from road debris would be great to reduce auto's that end up causing traffic issues on the roads imho.

Yes, I love Star Trek, but I am a realist with a Positive glass half full attitude that we can eventually get people onto better technology that give a better quality of life. I leave the rich to buying up the initial early adoption stuff at crazy prices as I know I cannot afford it without saving for a long time. Yet that does not mean I do not desire driving a nice ride. I see plenty here that complain, make excuses and bitch about the good old days. You're welcome to them to live in the past. Life is about making things better, better quality for all. I see ways to merge the past with the future as to why I think restoring an older auto you love with a modern electric powertrain is a smart way to go. Yes like all things new, they are expensive and yet prices do come down as economy of scale kicks in. Perfect example is the cost of VHS and Beta players in their initial early years. DVD and Blu-ray in their early years, all new technology is expensive at first as companies work to recover the costs of R&D. That does not make it wrong or bad. The consumers will eventually choose what they want and hopefully with proper information, the consumer will understand the benefits of moving forward with new technology. Currently it seems there are plenty of positives for buying EV over ICE based on studies of owners and non-owners. What makes people buy a Tesla? Not CEO Elon Musk's popularity, says survey (hindustantimes.com) Survey Reveals The Main Reason People Buy A Tesla (and It's Not Elon) (drive.com.au)

And you're missing the point, eventually prices come down and the appliance auto buyers do get the low maintenance items they desire. I totally know that an appliance buyer will not pay $1,000 for tires. I get it, I see these people all the time buy those cheap $400 advertised tires, do nothing and then cry when one blows out due to low air pressure, potholes taking out the tire, running over stuff in the road and not even trying to avoid it. These lemmings cause plenty of problems and so if they can be moved onto a product that does not have them being s lane blocking disabled auto, then better for it.

Here ya go, lots of good coverage for free on Ford and GM cracking down on Dealers. About time I say!!! Ford and GM Warn Dealers to Stop Charging So Much for New Cars | The New York Ledger (thenyledger.com) Ford CEO Farley cracking down hard on $3.6 billion dealer markups | Fox Business Ford and GM Warn Dealers to Stop Charging So Much for New Cars - News Nation USA Ford, GM are cracking down on dealers for inflating prices (msn.com) Ford CEO Jim Farley Fights ‘Unreasonable’ Dealer Markups | The Drive

Yes, they are expensive, I never said they were cheap. I was only talking about weight as an example. Quantity of scale is not there to bring the prices down yet. The Video of this guy shows he is anything but tech friendly and clearly set in old man's ways of not learning anything new. Yup let him have his ICE, Future and Technology is not him. Let's be honest, ICE was just as confusing and had haters and resistant users in the early days too. Why replace a Horse, easier to use, handle and deal with than a complicated ICE auto?

The next few decades will be interesting for sure in the auto world.

@balthazar Some good points you bring up. Course if Michelin is able to bring high strength Plastic to the rim portion, we could like the Ford Carbon Fiber Rims see a low weight. Current aluminum rims average 33lbs compared to Fords Carbon Fiber rims @ 18lbs each. If they can product this airless tire with the rim and keep it at half the weight of the Aluminum or steel rim, then I see no issue with unsprung weight. They seem to be on track per their web site to have them on multiple OEM autos in 2024. IAA Munich: Michelin’s view of tomorrow’s mobility – Michelin So, in reading more, it appears that GM is vested in these tires with Michelin, and they will be rolled out on a series of BEVs starting in 2024 with GM and other OEMs. Airless – Michelin Quote from their web site: The UPTIS prototype will be fitted to a fleet of vehicles in Las Vegas, where it will be tested for two years through intensive use in real-world conditions. The fleet was chosen because it met the testing requirement of vehicles with high daily mileage, exposed to high-temperature driving conditions. This development phase comes on top of the tests initiated several months ago in Greenville, South Carolina. Fitting prototypes to vehicles for real-world testing is the final test round to which Michelin tires are regularly subjected. The data collected by engineers during this period will enable them to perfect the prototype in preparation for its market launch. The tires are fitted onto Aluminum rims, so it would appear that you can have your OEM rims with these tires. Re-watching and he shoots his own reasons for failing by pointing out the continual improvements in tire technology that has allowed autos to improve decade over decade. His UNSPRUNG Weight is an Excuse as I see it to say that the new tech is not as good as the old tech. Interesting is how he is focused on generation one that did have its own rim built into the tire. Yet Michelin own web site states the tires can go onto aluminum rims. He constantly talks about Racing and how they are an unknown quantity. He makes some very good points, will be interesting to see how this all plays out. I do like the one point he is clear on and Michelin website I had to go into the small details which was the ability to put on a new tread once the wheels were worn out. Great reduction in waste.