Experiencing the All-New Gig Car Share Fleet

Posted on March 6, 2020 by stevegoesgreen

75 New Toyota Priuses Debut

By Steve Schaefer

Gig Car Share is adding 75 brand new Priuses to its Bay Area fleet, and I got to help out. On March 3rd, I drove a spanking new car from Concord into downtown Berkeley.

I drove my Fiat 500e EV to Buchanan Field, Concord’s local airport. In a large blue hangar, I found a cluster of cars, waiting to be dispatched.

I used my Gig app to select the car that Rebecca and Mike assigned to me.

Dressed in Gig’s black livery with the handy blue rack and side signage, the midsize Priusis a real step up from the subcompact Prius C the fleet has used so far. But Toyota doesn’t sell the C anymore, so it was the best choice.

This Prius, with 0 miles on the odometer, was sparkling clean inside, and I was very comfortable as I piloted the car along the street and onto the freeway. The screen shows you how efficiently you’re driving and whether the car is using electricity from the battery, gas, or both. There’s a prominent sticker on the passenger side of the dash that encourages drivers to keep the car clean. The FM radio sounded clear and strong, and I noticed an occasional beep that kept me in the lane, which will aid in preventing accidents.

I decided to cruise through downtown Berkeley and find a parking spot near the BART station. This will not only make it easy for me to retrace my steps but also put the car in a high demand location. I circled the block and found a nice spot on Oxford Street, right across from the UC Berkeley campus.

As I turned off the car, I saw that the first trip for this car was fuel efficient:

I stepped out and popped open the app. Then I locked the car and completed the rental.

The app and the car worked flawlessly, and I found out later that the car was rented by someone just 11 minutes after I parked it. I walked to BART, took a Lyft from the station to my car, and drove home.

Scoop Carpool App Does the Job

Posted on November 10, 2018 by stevegoesgreen

by Steve Schaefer

Driving an electric car saves burning gas. But sharing a car takes one or more vehicles off the road entirely! So, with Scoop, convenience meets climate-consciousness with one easy-to-use app.

Scoop is a casual carpooling app that you can download onto your phone in a minute. Much as you might call Uber or Lyft to get a ride somewhere, with Scoop you can join a carpool, saving (or earning) money and doing something good for the environment at the same time.

I needed a ride home from work today, because I had driven a test car in and had returned it. So, I decided to try the Scoop app. My friend at work told me how well it had worked for her, but I normally drive test vehicles or my own Chevrolet Bolt EV. But today, the golden opportunity presented itself.

I had already downloaded the app, so Scooop knew where I worked and my home address. Since my signup, I received daily invites to set up a morning or afternoon ride. After a few days, they stepped it up to say a particular person was looking for a ride or a rider. Interesting way to get you to engage.

This morning, knowing I was ready, I touched the app icon on my phone, and it opened up. First, I had to indicate whether I needed a ride or wanted to provide one. Then, I needed to specify the time. Scoop suggests you make it as big a window as possible, so you have the best chance of attracting a driver who can get to you in time. I set up for 4:40 – 5:10 p.m.–a half hour.

Then, it asked me for credit card information, so they could easily bill (or credit) my account. That was no problem.

You need to sign up for morning commutes by 9 p.m. the evening before, and afternoon rides by 3 p.m. I signed up at 9:54 this morning for this afternoon and waited to hear.

At precisely 2 p.m. I received a notification that I was scheduled for an afternoon trip and had to let them know by 3 if I wanted to cancel. That was a good sign. But a little after 3 p.m., I got a text saying I hadn’t been assigned a carpool, but they would add me to the Shortlist, and they had notified drivers of my availability and would notify me by 4:40. Hmmm. This might leave me without a way home–or mean I’d have to call Lyft and pay big bucks.

But–shortly after, I got the word–I had a ride! Lawrence, who works at a company a few miles away, would come pick me up in his blue BMW at 5:10 p.m.. Great!

I got down to the front of my building just after 5 and waited around. I checked the app, clicking on “Details,” and it showed a little car representing Lawrence in front of his office building.

The time counted down from 10 minutes to 5 minutes to 1 minute, and then it said “Trip Underway.” However, it really wasn’t because Lawrence’s car hadn’t moved. I waited a little longer, and began to wonder when I’d get home.

Then, my phone rang. Lawrence had been tied up in a meeting and was on his way. And he did appear about 20 minutes later. I was able to track his car as it made its way along, like the Lyft app. Here it’s halfway there.

The Scoop app has buttons for phone or texting, so I could have reached out to Lawrence if I needed to, but as a first-timer, I was just watching to see how it worked.

I was Lawrence’s only rider, and slipped into the front passenger seat, stashing my briefcase in the back seat, along with his.

Turns out my driver was a friendly 32-year-old man working in the real estate division of his company. We had a very pleasant discussion about our jobs, outside interests, the rising price of housing in the Bay Area, and it seemed that before I knew it, we were pulling up in front of my house. It was a very pleasant experience.

Normally, the ride would cost $7.00–which doesn’t seem like much. I believe that I had one free credit for signing up, so it may have been a free ride.

A little later, I received a brief survey, which I filled out on my phone. I recommended Lawrence and then made him a favorite, so perhaps we’ll meet again. I normally drive, but I might try taking people with me. The money would be nice, but the best part is that I’d be taking people out of their own (likely gasoline) vehicles, and would have a chance to make some new friends in the process.

Scoop was founded by Jon and Rob Sadow in 2015. Their goal was to bring commuters together in carpools they love, since “80% of Americans drive alone to work, wasting valuable minutes every morning.” Their long, scrolling page of smiling (youthful) employees on their website includes 10 dogs, such as this one.

Boston

Now, you can carpool without any hassle, anytime you want. If you ride, you pay a little, and if you drive, you earn a little. It’s easy.

EVs, Hybrids and Green Events of 2017

Posted on December 31, 2017 by stevegoesgreen

For 2017, I decided to focus my attention on hybrid and plug-in vehicles. Over the 12 months, I tested 35 cars, of which more than half – 20 – were either full EVs, plug-in hybrids PHEVs), or hybrids. About half of the cars were hybrids, and a quarter were EVs or PHEVS. This was a big change, as for the last 25 years, I’ve driven a car a week (52 a year).

My EV focus was enhanced when I began submitting content to www.cleanfleetreport.com in addition to my newspapers in 2016. I also rejuvenated this blog, which I had originally filled with impressions of the Fiat 500e that I borrowed for the first quarter of 2016.

The centerpiece of this new EV emphasis was my 2017 Chevrolet Bolt, which I leased on January 8 and have put nearly 10,000 miles on over the year, much of it during those weeks when I wasn’t driving a test vehicle.

I also ventured into covering events, including National Drive Electric Week, during which I hosted an event at my office and I attended two other ones. At the Cupertino NDEW event, I met Greg Bell, who introduced me to Acterra, an organization that promotes EV use and other environmental efforts. I attended two Acterra events where important speakers delivered valuable content, which I captured in two articles that appeared both in my blog and in Clean Fleet Report—and on Acterra’s website as well. At the end of the year, I sampled Gig Car Share, a ridesharing service that uses Ridecell software.

While reading An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, Al Gore’s second book (and movie), I saw a story about a man who changed careers in order to work in the green industry—and learned he was local. I later met with Wei-Tai Kwok over lunch and toured his company, Amber Kinetics, which manufactures energy storage devices.

I plan to continue my green vehicle and industry focus in 2018, with additional expansion into anything that contributes to a greener future—interviews, research, and more vehicle drives, of course.

Here’s an alphabetical list of the EV and hybrid vehicles I tested in 2018, with brief summaries.

Note: These stories, except for a couple that aren’t written yet, are available on Clean Fleet Report.

Acura MDX Hybrid – A big cruiser, this car has significantly improved fuel economy, an incremental improvement over the regular gasoline model.

BMW i3 – Still odd looking (it grows on you), this car is a pure EV, but can be had with a small “range extender” gas engine. My tester had the extender, but I never used it. The ’17 upped the estimated range from 72 to 114 – a much more useful proposition.

Chevrolet Bolt EV – The Bolt is the first “affordable” pure EV with a truly usable 238-mile EPA range. I love mine, and have achieved more than 200 miles of range with no problems, other than an occasional glitch to the entertainment system (which recovered automatically). Motor Trend’s Car of the Year, among other honors.

Ford C-Max Hybrid – This European design is a comfortable and usable car, but lost some favor when its initial fuel economy numbers turned out to be overly optimistic. Its EPA numbers are 42 mpg overall, about double what the gasoline version of its sister vehicle—the Fusion—gets. The Energi model, which I didn’t test, has a plug and a larger battery for local all-electric motoring.

Ford Fusion Hybrid and Energi – This handsome sedan uses the same drivetrain as the C-Max, and offers both hybrid and Energi (plug-in) versions. I tested both. The hybrid averaged 41 mpg while the Energi got 101.4 MPGe, using nearly no gasoline at all.

Honda Clarity PHEV – This plug-in hybrid sedan is a brand-new effort from Honda. Initial impressions (I’ve had it two days) are it’s handsome on the inside, despite plastic wood trim, but a little weird on the outside. I got 43 miles of range with the initial charge, which was enough for a Saturday’s worth of errands. The Clarity also comes as a hydrogen fuel cell version (I drove it briefly at an event), and a full EV version with a disappointingly small 89-mile range. I plan to test these other two Claritys in 2018.

Hyundai Ioniq – I drove the full EV and the Hybrid versions of this all-new car. If you want a Prius or a Leaf but hate the wacky styling, this is your car. The EV has a stellar EPA rating of 136 MPGe combined. A plug-in hybrid is due in 2018.

Kia Optima PHEV – This handsome large/midsize sedan has a 27-mile EV range, so I used no gasoline all week to commute. Only when I ranged further did I dip into the tank, so I averaged 99.9 mpg during my test week.

Kia Niro – This attractive and right-sized crossover makes sense as a hybrid, and is now coming out as a plug-in hybrid. I drove the entry-level FE and top-of-the-line Touring. I got 43.8 mpg in the Touring and 48.2 mpg in the FE. There was about a $7,000 difference between them. A pure EV version would be a game-changer.

Lexus ES 300h – This traditional sedan adds a bit of luxury to the hybrid package. I earned 33.1 mpg during my test week, a bit below the EPA estimates. My option-packed tester listed at more than $48,000.

Toyota Camry Hybrid – I drove both the 2017 version and the all-new 2018 model. The ’17 scored a disappointing 28.9 mpg, but the ’18 hit 37.9 mpg, and is all-new, inside and out.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid – Toyota put its hybrid platform under a family-size crossover, and added some efficiency to it. I averaged 25.0 mpg; the gasoline model I tested a few years ago hit 20.6, so that’s a nice improvement.

Toyota Mirai Hydrogen Fuel Cell – Odd looking, but drives like a nice big sedan, although it’s not as big inside as it looks. Essentially an all-electric car you never plug in, you do need to fuel it, and hydrogen fuel is pricey and hard to find! But, if you lease one now, Toyota picks up your fuel tab for the three-year term (up to $15,000).

Toyota Prius Prime – This is the plug-in version of the latest Prius, and it slightly tempers the radical styling front and rear. Its 25-mile range is useful for all-electric commuting, while its hybrid personality lets you drive wherever you want to with no problems. I averaged 70.5 MPGe during my test week.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid – As a compact crossover SUV, the RAV4 is positioned at the center of the car market now. As a hybrid, it has 28 percent better fuel economy numbers than its gasoline version.

VW e-Golf – The Golf is a wonderful driving car, but the original e-Golf’s range was a paltry 83 miles. The new one, with minor styling enhancements and larger battery, is boosted to 125 miles, which is much more usable.

These are the events, interviews, and services I covered in 2017.

Western Automotive Journalists Media Days – This writers group, which I co-founded in the early 1990s, has a wonderful annual event that combines on-road driving, a day at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and a festive banquet. Auto scribes and manufacturer representatives connect and renew their assocations. I tested a number of EVs at this event and as always, had lots of fun.

Brett Hinds (Ford) interview and Third Industrial Revolution screening – Ford Motor Company sponsored a screening of Third Industrial Revolution, a film based on the book by Jeremy Rifkin. The film features Rifkin himself making the important points of this visionary tome to a young audience. Hinds is the Chief Engineer for Electrified Power Systems, and in our 1-on-1 interview he described what Ford has planned for the future.

National Drive Electric Week – This annual event’s purpose is to expose more people to the virtues of electric motoring by having owners show off their cars. As a Bolt driver, I hosted one at my company during the week, and attended two Saturday events, where I participated and networked like crazy. Sponsored by Plug In America, the Sierra Club, the Electric Auto Association, and the Nissan Leaf.

Silicon Valley Reinvents the Wheel – This annual event, cosponsored by the Western Automotive Journalists and the Autotech Council, is jam packed with speakers, booths, cars, and a lot of excitement. It’s a great place to network and learn what’s coming.

Opening of New Hydrogen Station in San Ramon – Hydrogen fuel cells in electric vehicles are an exciting but complicated technology. A big issue is infrastructure, so the opening of station #29 (of a planned 100) is a step forward. I used this station later when I tested the Toyota Mirai.

Steve Westly Acterra event – The former California Controller had a lot of positive things to say about the growth of sustainable power generation and the rise of EVs.

Carl Pope Acterra event – On his book tour for Climate of Hope, which he co-wrote with Michael Bloomberg, Pope spoke of the many challenges and successes of the move to a sustainable energy future.

Gig Car Share test – I heard about Gig Car Share while researching Ridecell, and sampled a vehicle while I was out getting a haircut. If you only need a car occasionally, it’s ideal. Just download the app and you’re on your way. And the cars have bike racks!

Gig Car Share – Alternative to Ownership

Posted on December 30, 2017 by stevegoesgreen

While there’s lots of talk about driving a green EV or hybrid vehicle, what if you could avoid owning a car at all, and only use one when you needed it? Taking Ubers or Lyfts is one way to get yourself somewhere quickly, but sometimes you want your own car for an hour or a day. Gig Car Share, a car-sharing service available in major parts of Oakland and Berkeley, California, can help you out.

I recently heard about Gig Car Share, which is run by AAA using Ridecell software, and decided to check them out in person. I happened to be in the “home area” getting my hair cut, so I used the app to find a car. There turned out to be one in the next block, which I took for a short ride.

The app, which I easily downloaded the day before, worked as advertised, and I was able to do the whole thing for a few dollars.

Read my full story in Clean Fleet Report. And stay tuned for when I dig a bit deeper into the story behind this fascinating technology.

Green Mobility in Portland, Oregon

Posted on October 20, 2017 by stevegoesgreen

Electric Avenue

On a three-day trip to Portland, Oregon this week, I had a chance to witness some ways that the Rose City is moving toward a cleaner transportation future.

To start out, my trip into downtown from the airport was on the Trimet electric train system. The Trimet Max Red Line docks steps away from the baggage claim area, and for $2.50, you can sit in a clean, comfortable chair and look out the picture windows at the Oregon scenery. It was clear and beautiful my first day, but, naturally, became gray and rainy later. But that was pretty nice looking (and smelling) too.

Once I stepped off the train onto the street, I walked the several blocks to my company’s Portland office. Along the way, I passed four things that told me that Portland is working hard on going green.

I walked past the Forth Mobility showroom. Forth is set up to give people a chance to learn about and test drive electric vehicles, including the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Bolt. On my way out of town, I dropped in and chatted with Sergio, who showed me the displays, which included a sample of wall-mount charging stations and a screen folks can use to determine which EV would work best for them.

A couple of blocks further, I spotted Electric Avenue (see photo, above). This brightly painted spot at PGE (Portland General Electric) headquarters, sports six charging stations–Level 2 and Level 3. Located near Forth, it’s a good one-two punch for EV awareness and use.

Reach Now Mini

Along the tree-lined streets, which were beginning to display some autumn-colored leaves on the ground, I spotted two ways to drive around without owning your own car. ReachNow is BMW’s car-sharing service. I saw the logo on the sides of Minis and BMWs wherever I went.

Tucked into other spots were the Car2Go vehicles, which feature cars from BMW’s German rival–Mercedes-Benz. I spotted numerous Smart EVs, along with the smaller Mercedes-Benz crossovers and sedans.

In 10 minutes and six short blocks, I got a sample of Portland’s efforts to reduce traffic and greenhouse gases.

On my first night in the city, I rode in a car on the way to my old friend’s home in suburban Gresham, and there was lots of traffic. These efforts in Portland should help congestion, as well.

To top off my trip, on my return to the East Bay, I rode BART’s airport shuttle and the regular BART line most of the way home. The electric vehicle future is now.