Do you know of an app to help with locations of EV chargers for our trip? | Car Doctor
Q: We're considering taking our new Hyundai Ioniq 5 to Florida this coming January. We know that we have to consider the location and availability of EV chargers along the way to make the trip successful and less stressful. Do you know of an app or website that would be helpful in planning the trip?
Our accommodations for the two months we will be there does have a Level 2 charger available, but it's the trip there and back that concerns us.
We have two years free charging available to us with Electrify America but know there are not a lot of them. Level 2 would suffice; Level 3 would be awesome and get us on our way more quickly.
A: The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has a range of 220-300 miles, depending on the battery option. That translates into four to nearly six hours of driving.
At AAA, we recommend taking a short break every two hours of driving. If you plan your breaks around charging — even Level 2 charging — it is surprising how far you can travel.
Just about every electric vehicle that I have been in has navigation that will allow you to find the nearest charging location. In addition, AAA’s app has charging station locations. You might also look at Plug Star and Plug Share (some private homes will let you charge).
Yes, Level 3 charging would certainly be more convenient allowing an 80% charge in 30 minutes or so.
Elon Musk recently stated that his Supercharging stations would be available to all EVs by year's end. If this is true, that would certainly make your trip far less stressful, since many of the charging stations are on or near highway rest areas.
Q: My daughter has a 2020 Toyota Highlander with 27,000 miles that is still under warranty. She and her husband have noticed a film on the windshield at times and have smelled some kind of vapor. To me, this always means a leaking heater core.
I looked into the overflow tank and it was empty. I removed the radiator cap and it was full. I ran the engine to warm up, ran the fan and tried to sniff the vents and I could not sniff anything.
I rechecked the overflow and it had two or three ounces of fluid. When the car was made, it probably had about 20 ounces of fluid in the bucket. Where did the fluid go?
I am trying to find out if the inside heater core has a tiny leak before the warranty runs out soon.
My nose is not good enough. Is there some kind of antifreeze sniffer, like the type that is used for air-conditioning? I looked all over the front floor and found no sign of antifreeze.
A: You are correct that a leaking heater core will cause a loss of coolant level, greasy film on the windshield and a sweet smell.
When engine coolant is mix properly, it is about 50% water and the coolant in the overflow reservoir can evaporate. This is one reason why it needs to be checked and added to periodically.
You could go back to the dealer and have them perform a pressure test of the cooling system. In this test, the system is put under pressure and, if over a period of time the system loses pressure, there is a leak.
More than likely the film on the windshield is caused by the hot weather and outgassing of the plastics in the car. As the plastics outgas, it will produce an oily film on the windshield. Clean the windshield with a good quality window cleaner and finish up with a microfiber cloth.
Q: Can I convert my bike to an electric bike? I have a great bike but would like to go electric, but the electric bikes that are as nice as mine are nearly $3,000. Can I upfit my current bike with a motor?
A: The older kits were not very good. Some use a friction motor that simply pushed on the tire to add traction. Others use heavy battery packs and hub motors. Like all things, as the technology evolves the kits are getting better.
I recently read about a kit from a European company called Swytchbike (swytchbike.com/) and it looks pretty good. The installation looks simple: it is a front wheel motor, with a battery pack that mounts on the handlebars — almost like a basket. The conversion turns a conventional bike into a pedal-assist electric bike.
Q: I recently got a call that my car, a 2017 Toyota Corolla, is a high-risk potential or a “Pre-Existing" conditions with mechanical or electrical issues. Was this some sort of scare tactic to get me to buy insurance? The car runs great and has no problems and is a very reliable car.
A: I would certainly call this a scare tactic and would just write it off as some extended warranty company on a phishing expedition.
If I owned a five-year-old Toyota Corolla (certainly one of the most dependable cars on the road), I would simply put a little money away in an emergency/maintenance fund to take care of routine repairs and if an unexpected bigger issue comes up.
John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email jpaul@aaanortheast.com and put “Car Doctor” in the subject field. Follow him on Twitter @johnfpaul or on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Car Doctor: Is there an app to help with locations of EV chargers?
