G. David Felt

Generative Design - Do you know what this means? Generative design is a computing process that mimics evolution to create natural-seeming shapes that maximize strength while minimizing weight! What does this have to do with the Random EV channel you might ask? Plenty, Seems innovation is beginning again with America. Specifically what VW largest office outside Germany which is located in Silicon Valley with more than 180 engineers, designers, researchers and social scientists. VW has allowed this California office to run more like a college campus and the question was asked of how would you blend the BEST of Volkswagen's heritage while embracing the future. The answer is a team of 25 that took less than 6 months to take a 1962 Type 2 11 window Microbus, strip it down to the bones and rebuild it as a modern 21st Century electric Microbus with 120-hp electric motor and a 10 kW battery pack fitting into the same space of the original power train. Tons to read about all the future stuff put into this Microbus from the microphones and cameras to the voice enabled access system, lighting, the ultra light weight steering wheel and wheels to the mirror support and seat supports. The Microbus weights less than what it did as an ICE Microbus. Have to say a very cool story. Full story here: http://newsroom.vw.com/vehicles/a-new-era-for-volkswagen-innovation-in-america-begins-with-the-type-20-concept/

How do we engage the youth of today with the Auto industry of the past with a focus on the future in the 21st century? Seems this teacher found a way, ICE to EV conversions in Auto Shop class Converting old Volkswagen from ICE to EV power trains. http://newsroom.vw.com/vehicles/reviving-auto-shop-classes-for-the-ev-era-one-old-volkswagen-at-a-time/ This is based out of West New York, NJ and the then new teacher Ron Grosinger who started teaching Auto shop class at the school in 2005 was faced with figuring out how to survive with an electrive class that had gone from 6 to 2 teachers, rarely had hands on training and only 27 students. Today the Auto Shop program has 4 teachers and is nearing his goal of 50/50 young men and woman. Seems Woman like the cleaner EV approach over the ICE approach. Over all a great read on how one man is making a difference to drive interest back into the youth over auto's. Some thing we ALL SHOULD WANT for the long term life of the auto industry.

Love this Weird auto list. https://www.motor1.com/news/category/weird/

First of many to come, a 2020 Corvette is crashed, I assume at high speed as it has a go pro on the top for recording and some serious damage to the car and other auto's. Out of Alaska, the local police show the near miss of the cop car hitting a momma and baby Moose. They go down hard. Badda Boom. https://www.autoblog.com/2019/08/06/moose-highway-police-video/

Very cool, I am interested in reading what reviewers think once they get their hands on a production unit.

It has been interesting to see the amount of comments I have read on various sites about the Explorer and Suburban and everything loosing solid front axles for a IS setup. I wonder if anyone will really care that this does not have solid axles? ?

Not only that, but they set a new EV record that MB has yet to get anywhere close too. https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2019/products/porsche-taycan-record-nuerburgring-nordschleife-18440.html Have to say the video on the Porsche news anouncement is very cool. Love the comments on this video of the run Porsche posted and how folks say other than tire noise and the whine of the motor, very quiet and just rushing air. Very Cool indeed! Tesla should be shaking in their boots as this clearly looks superior to anything they are building.

Gotta start somewhere. ?‍♂️

Clearly these are toys for the rich around a bay and not real long term boating. Yet with that said, we do have the following: A boat that can go 100 miles a day on pure solar, not too shabby. https://catamaranguru.com/catamarans/catamaran-concepts/sunwave-54-solar-catamaran

Good read on the new EcoDiesel review of the Ram truck. https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/29461/2020-ram-1500-ecodiesel-first-drive-review-diesel-done-right

Loving this project auto as the Germans cannot beat the pure heart of a quality small block American V8. 1973 Porsche 914 has the air cooled engine dropped out and some customization work done as the owner moves a GM small block to motivate the 914 to new highs. https://www.thedrive.com/news/29561/widebody-1973-porsche-914-with-chevrolet-v-8-will-make-purists-weep

Seems Rivian has confirmed that there will be 4 roof top options for te R1S SUV. https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1124632_rivian-r1s-suv-to-offer-four-roof-options-but-no-sliding-moonroof The four roofs include: - a fixed steel roof - a fixed glass roof - a fixed electrochromic glass roof that can automatically darken or leave it to the driver - a roof with two opaque lift-out composite panels Loving all these ID3 VW Mules as they are tested against the Kia and Chevrolet Bolt. I know VW is calling it an electric crossover hatchback, but I swear they look alot like the Bolt. https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1124726_volkswagen-id-4x-spy-shots-reveal-production-direction-for-crozz-electric-crossover

The airplane industry is also finding ways to electrify 2 and 4 person plans. The first 26 planes have been purchased for use in airplane training for pilots. https://chargedevs.com/newswire/quantum-air-orders-26-electric-airplanes-from-bye-aerospace/ Talk about your silent flight, very cool. Daimler is delivering their first 2 Electric Class 8 Commercial semi's for use to Penske Truck Leasing. https://chargedevs.com/newswire/daimler-to-deliver-first-ecascadia-electric-heavy-duty-trucks/ Seems Daimler has beaten Tesla to delivering Semi Trucks for Commercial use. Shell Gas Stations just finished installing and opening up for use their first Fast Charger for public use in Singapore. https://chargedevs.com/newswire/shells-greenlots-installs-first-abb-ev-fast-charger-in-singapore/ Seems you like the Chub rub too!

Seems the Auto Industry is not the only place for electric mania to take place, Boating with the massive torque is taking off but without all the gov incentives. Seems rich folks love the power while being quiet. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-20/battery-powered-boats-are-the-next-frontier?srnd=premium

Some very cool auto news stories came out today. This was done by Ford earlier in the year but now written up about the major retooling that took 11,000 people and 30 days to gut their oldest assembly plant and install over 600 robots, 500 new machines plus upgrade cafeteria, etc. in preparation for building the new Ford Explorer and Aviator. https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/ford-explorer-launch-required-major-redo-aging-plant Here is the latest update in regards to which Auto Companies are going to feel it more at the bottom line from the Trade war with China. https://www.autonews.com/automakers-suppliers/bmw-mercedes-ford-most-risk-new-tariffs Ford, BMW and Mercedes will be hurt the most by the newest increase in Tariffs. OUCH! BMW Leads with 12% of their sales in China coming from the US. This is the X3, X5 and X6 plus a few other crossovers and cars that from from the Charleston S.C. assembly plant. BMW and Daimler corporation, Mercedes Benz has 57% of the auto's they sell in China coming from the US assembly plants. VW is now exploring buying ownership in China suppliers with a focus on buying up as much battery suppliers as they can along with other material suppliers such as Carbon Fiber and Aluminum. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-23/vw-is-said-to-explore-buying-stakes-in-chinese-auto-suppliers

9 States have signed on to follow California with a ZEV Mandate. Full story can be read here: https://autoalliance.org/energy-environment/state-electric-vehicle-mandate/ The main point is as follows from this screen grab: Here is where those states line up in regards to their state, county and city gov agencies buying ZEV auto's.

Very cool tool to see what your state top auto's are: https://autoalliance.org/economy/consumer-choice/ You can pick the state you want to look at, default is the whole state or you can select the district you are in and default is light trucks, but then you just have to click on any of the other choices below light trucks and see where you align compared to the rest of the country. Washington state is #1 in the country for Hybrid auto sales and #2 behind California for EVs. Amazing was that Vermont is #1 in the country for the youngest average age of auto's in the state at 9.7 years compared to Montana which has the oldest average age of 16.3 years old. Guess if you want a project auto, look to Montana to find some old Iron.

Got It! ? The Hudson Minimalist building design versus the Maximalist overkill design of the Mattress business. Yea, also does not help that the Mattress business clearly has not taken car of the outside as the ugly colors plus the falling down awning covers, your right, it looks very trashy.

Not sure what your really meaning, Hudson went out of business, the owner of the property got a different business to go in to keep making money. Every business has different needs for the property, so how did the present fuck up what the past offered? ?

It is amazing how many sale people are just plain dumb about the auto as they have only focused on the basic sales process: Greet the customer Qualify the customer Trial close the customer Overcome objections from the customer Take them to the bank. The basic 5 step how to sell pitch and that seems to be where most sales people's brains stop functioning. I am always shaking my head when they throw stuff out that is so wrong about the auto one is looking at be it the wrong engine, wrong features, wrong color options, wrong way of how a certain technology works. Most of the time, I just have to bite my tongue when I go to a dealership at the large amount of wrong information. This is a key piece as to why the BOLT does not sell better, the lack of knowledge and understanding of an EV along with the benefits. At 259 mile range, the battery range should not be an anxiety issue for the commuter person. So True as being lazy to learn a manual is on par with the lack of learning the auto's they sell. Amazing the ignorance of so many sales people.

Amazing to see the pictures of America before the EPA was formed and regulated trash/ dumping. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/35-vintage-photos-taken-by-the-epa-reveal-what-american-cities-looked-like-before-pollution-was-regulated/ss-AAFNWId?li=BBnb7Kz#image=1

Nope, just life. appreciate you posting our history so we can observe, learn and make the future better. Thank you,

Gotta love cooking and yummy food. This I can attest is an AWESOME BBQ appetizer to do! https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/prosciutto-wrapped-grilled-brie-with-pineapple-5230068

Working and have this lovely back ground piano jazz on. Saw Keiko last night at Jazz Alley in Seattle. Was amazing. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=5080

Disagree as the point is that that was then and now we have better moving forward and pointing to the past without pointing out the better in the current and how we will get even better in the future is what the end point is about.