G. David Felt

Crunchy

According to various sources from Edmunds to Teslarati they all seem to be in the same range of one to two pounds. Teslarati actually has a very detailed breakdown of the Tesla S RWD. Total Weight is 4,647.3 lbs. Go to AWD and the second motors with controller adds another 350lbs. so Tesla S AWD would be 4,997.3lbs. If you add the larger batteries it also gains weight so the Tesla S AWD with Ludacris mode which includes the largest battery they have tips at over 5,000lbs. Ford Mach E that is arriving at dealerships has the following weight for base RWD 4,394lbs to AWD with the largest batter at 4,890lbs. I say Ford is beating Tesla in the weight department.

Interesting stories today. First is on the top 10 wipers. I use what is rated #1 Bosch wipers and am interested in what others use and why? For me Bosch last about 2 years for me on an auto along with using RainX on the windshields. Just seems to be a superior super clean wipe. 10 best wiper blades for 2020 - Roadshow (cnet.com) The other interesting story is the all new GM 3D printing and Development Center. This is a 15,000 sqft center with 24 3D printers that can produce both metal and polymers 3D parts. One of the biggest questions by people is, is this not just a hobby by computer nerds and how can it hold up to industrial use? Answer is that this process has shown to reduce on average in metal parts by 14 welds and 32% less weight. An example of this is the Aluminum oil tank and inlet assembly on the 2021 Chevrolet Corvette C8 auto. Additional benefit is how fast 3D printing allows prototyping in comparison to hand made prototypes. GM has also installed multiple 3D printers in their Arlington, Texas factory where they have produced Nylon Carbon fiber tools that weight in on average of less than 3lbs to replace tools that used to weight between 10 to 40 lbs. for the assembly of the Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac Full size SUVs and trucks. 3D printing has also been used in the production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and the Hummer EV Battery pack speeding up the assembly and production of various modules. GM has also confirmed that many of the new parts found in the up coming Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing will be built on 3D printers. GM opens new 3D-printing development center - Roadshow (cnet.com) Interesting in that in this story, while the CT4 & 5 V Blackwing edition will get a manual, it will be one of the last options offered as the auto's with the 10 speed auto will be produced first and other options before a manual will come towards the end of the first year of production. 3D printing helps bring the Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing models to life (cnet.com) SUPERCRUISE is coming to the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali in late 2022. Super Cruise is coming to the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali (cnet.com) For those that love books, some sad news for you in regards to auto repair manuals. Haynes if following the path of many other auto repair manual publishers and moving to Digital versions only. Haynes will continue to print existing manuals but like everyone else starting with 2021 Auto's, repair manuals will only be available in Digital form. Get your Tablet purchased. Haynes to cease printing new repair manuals, moves to online guides (cnet.com)

On Topic of Alternative Energy Auto's, Lucid has completed their manufacturing plant and posted a video about it. Very cool as we have another EV auto company in production. I will also say that the plant looks more like the original OEM's of Detroit than the mess at Tesla.

WOW, I am surprised they have not updated Lifts sooner as the current 2021 Yukon is 5998 lbs curb weight and gross weight of 7700 lbs. I would not want my SUV on those weak lifts. I expect the Hummer Edition One to be around 7500 lbs.

Seems Penske and Roush are teaming up to build Ford F650 Delivery Trucks. They will have a capacity of 8,500 pounds and a range of 100 miles. Focused on the inner city delivery business. Racing Rivals Penske and Roush Are Teaming Up on Electric Ford F-650 Work Truck (thedrive.com)

Seems February we should see the all new Mitsubishi Outlander according to the latest story from The Truth about cars. Mitsubishi Teases New Outlander, Schedules Arrival for February (thetruthaboutcars.com) Mitsubishi teaser released. Funny Read, seems Scotland gives their snowplows names. Great list. Great Scot! Scotland Gives Its Snowplows—All of Them—Hilarious Names (motortrend.com)

Report in from Nikkei Asia that Toyota is going to unveil their first global EV with a Solid State Battery pack and a 10 min recharge to full time for an average 310 miles of range battery pack. Toyota says their superior solid state battery tech allows them to cut off 2/3rds of the normal recharge time. Also Toyota will be backed by a substantial investment by the Japanese government as they convert the country to Supercharged charging stations and be part of a much larger group as Japan looks to jump ahead of China in the battery race by moving directly to Solid State cells. The Japanese government will be investing $19.2 Billion dollars in 2021 to help Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic and Toyota which has over 1,000 world wide patents for solid state batteries production. According to the news story, VW has already started to move away from traditional Lithium Ion cell EVs to have Solid State Rapid Recharge battery packs in their EVs starting in 2025 with a unidentified U.S. startup. Nissan has announced that their EV's will start having Solid State battery packs in 2028. China is only now looking to start R&D on solid State batteries with QingTao energy development spending $153 million over 3 years starting in 2021. Toyota's game-changing solid-state battery en route for 2021 debut - Nikkei Asia Seems Test Mules of Amazons new EV Delivery Vans are out and about in Irvine California. Rivian’s Amazon delivery van prototype spotted in Irvine, Calif. (electrek.co)

Today was cookie making day. Tins to be safely dropped off to relatives/family. We made Mexican Wedding cookies, those snow ball looking ones. Gingerbread everything, Snickerdoodles, Chocolate Chip, Candy Can cookies and the final is a White Chocolate / Craisins butter cookie.

Just sad that anyone would let their auto get in that sad of a state.

I am a Star Trek and Star Wars Fan. Putting my auto's in to either I end up with the following: Star Trek My SS is the Belknap class or strike cruise My Escalade ESV Platinum is the Constellation class cruiser My Suburban is the Constitution class Heavy Cruiser Star Wars My SS is the Millennium Falcon. My Escalade ESV Platinum is the Naboo Royal Starship My Suburban is the Star Freighter

That looks Awesome Blu! Sounds like a Good Avalanche road trip!

Yes, the house was built in 1952. I bought it in 1999 off the Foreclosed list and gutted it and then updated to modern commercial standards of electrical, Copper water through out and then insulated and sheet rocked it and did a basic tape / mud of the walls and then used Smokers Sealer paint so the whole house was just basic white for about 15 years. Then in 2015 I started to take room by room and do a medium splatter texture. Used my Home Depot gun I bought in 2015 and have textured everywhere in the house and updated with new paints. Our bedroom was the last room to be textured and then painted. Wal-Board Tools Texture-Pro 200 Hopper Gun with 3 Spray Tips-52-020 - The Home Depot Works great with my air compressor I have. Starting off 2021 with the house about 95% complete. The wife asked me if I could update the Laundry room, so have started to remove everything so I can update it to be modern. She wants a stand up shower there for coming in from the yard and just have it updated with some additional shelves and new utility sink. If I can get it all done, then 2021 will start with the house 100% done. I am sure she will think of other things.

Forgot to mention, Last Friday I choose to surprise my wife by redoing our bedroom. Happy Wife, Happy Life. So I emptied it out, prepped it, Textured the room and repainted it along with an Accent Wall and then moved everything back in. She was very happy, I got it all done in 6 days and still managed to keep my skiing reservations.

Today was my second time on the Mountain for Ski Season. Awesome, 12 runs made, 21.5 miles skied. Was a Perfect Blue Bird day and more snow comes in tonight! Epic requires total coverage to keep everyone including the employees safe. As such, I am only happy to oblige so that I can enjoy skiing the mountain. Mr. Brooks and Mrs. Daisy Sasquatch are having a good day! Last Saturday was Opening day of Skiing and it was excellent on all the signage and safety they had. Bug Man skiing!

Fries

Hyundai EV video they released.

Official numbers are in and it seems the current pandemic has cut global emissions by 7%. GCP : Global Carbon Project : Homepage Sad part is that as the vaccine gets pushed out and people go back it is expected without a move to alternative means of transportation that this will jump by 10% increase in 2021.

Animal Fries

If that was true we would not see people like Mitt Romney who only paid 16% on his $27 million in earnings in 2016. A stated rate and what they really pay is two different worlds. If the 1% did not abuse the system and were given loop holes, then Donald Trump would not be writing off a Billion dollar so called lose over decades.

Deep Fried Peanut butter Bacon and Banana sandwich.

Screwball Whiskey Peanut butter Cookies

Seems Mercedes-Benz electric Sprinter Van will hit the US / Canada market in Q3 of 2023. Mercedes readies eSprinter in 2 body sizes, 3 battery options (autonews.com) Also GM has actual Mules now that are testing the Hummer by GMC tech.

Lordstown posted on Twitter a video of hard core testing of their awd in-wheel hub motorized skateboard that will have a truck body attached.