What it’s like to drive a plugin-hybrid for the past 6 months

Last year I bought the number one selling plugin-hybrid vehicle sold in America, and I even got a $7,500 tax rebate for the purchase. And before you try and guess, I’ll say that nope it wasn’t a Prius, it was a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe. It’s ridiculous that a 5,000lb tank with the aerodynamics of …

Lessons from my first 1,300 mile road trip in an EV

I just returned from a 48hr jaunt to the San Francisco Bay Area, starting up near the Portland, Oregon area. I drove down in one day, and back the next day, on a route I’ve taken probably 50+ times over the last 20 years since I moved from there to here. In a gas car, …

A new “3rd way” for CarPlay

I am a fan of Apple’s CarPlay. I think it can make driving safer while keeping you informed of new calls and texts, and entertained with podcasts and music, all without having to take your eyes off the road or ever feel the need to pick up your phone while driving. It’s pretty good software, …

First thoughts from a Rivian R1S test drive

In February of 2020, I plunked down a deposit on the Rivian R1S, a 3-row full electric SUV soon after the Rivian truck was announced and truck prototypes were shown at various events. I’ve owned nearly a dozen different trucks over my life but as I’ve gotten older I’ve come to appreciate off-road capable SUVs …

Surprisingly good tech: The weBoost Drive Reach cell signal booster

A couple years ago, I started seeing ads for “cell phone booster” antennas for cars and trucks around the off-roading/4×4 world as a way to stay connected while out in the middle of nowhere, but I was deeply skeptical. How much better could your phone signal be after paying a few hundred bucks for a …