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+---
+page_id: "about"
+slug: "about"
+# show: false
+title: "About"
+aliases: ["/about/"]
+---
+
+My name is Paul Duncan.
+
+I am a software developer currently living in Falls Church, VA.
+
+In my spare time I enjoy writing [Open Source software][oss], tinkering
+with electronics, [3D printing][], and creating electronic music.
+
+I also maintain a couple of servers which provide web and email hosting
+for friends and family.
+
+This has been my web site since 1998.  I typically post projects
+that I am working on and links that I find interesting.
+
+I recently resurrected this site after a 10-year blogging hiatus.  I
+also switched the backend from my old hand-written monstrosity to
+[Jekyll][].  I am still in the process of migrating some of the older
+content.
+
+Feel free to contact me if you are looking for something and can't find
+it.
+
+Archives of this site and my other sites are also available via the
+[Wayback Machine][] at the following URLs:
+
+* [Pre-1999 Site (archive)][ia-efn]: My personal site before 1999.  Try
+  not to giggle (too much).
+* [paulduncan.org (archive)][ia-pdo]: My personal site from 2003 until
+  2017.
+* [pablotron.org (archive)][ia-pto]: Technical content from 1998 until
+  now.
+
+  [oss]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_software "Open Source software"
+  [3d printing]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing "3D printing."
+  [jekyll]: https://jekyllrb.com "Static site generator."
+  [wayback machine]: https://web.archive.org/ "Internet Archive Wayback Machine."
+  [ia-efn]: https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://efn.org/~p_duncan/ "My personal site before 1999."
+  [ia-pdo]: https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://paulduncan.org/ "My personal site from 2003 until 2017."
+  [ia-pto]: https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://pablotron.org/ "My personal and technical site from 1998 until the present."
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+---
+title: "EV Crash Course"
+slug: ev-crash-course
+---
+
+## Reading Electric Vehicle Specs
+
+|Vehicle Type|Efficiency|Capacity|Capacity Unit|
+|------------|----------|--------|----|
+|Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)|Miles per Gallon (MPG)|Gas Tank Size|Gallons|
+|Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)|Watt-hours per Mile (Wh/mi)|Battery Capacity|kilowatt-hours (kWh)|
+
+**Note:** A lower Wh/mi is *more* efficient than a higher Wh/mi, because
+the numerator and denominator are reversed (the ratio is energy/distance
+instead of distance/energy).
+
+Annoyingly, some sites will show energy efficiency using slightly
+different units (e.g. kWh/100mi) or even inverted (e.g. mi/kW).  So make
+sure to pay attention to the units.
+
+The EPA has a database of EV efficiency, battery capacity, and
+standardized test results available at [fueleconomy.gov][epa].
+
+For reference, here is the efficiency and range information for [my
+car][epa-car] and [Nadine's car][epa-ioniq] from [fueleconomy.gov][epa].
+
+|Model|Efficiency|Capacity|Range (miles)|
+|-----|----------|--------|-------------|
+|[2019 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD][epa-car]|290 Wh/mi|75 kWh|310 mi|
+|[2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid][epa-ioniq]|55 MPG|11.9 gallons|650 mi|
+
+## EV Chargers (EVSEs)
+EV chargers (aka [EVSEs][evse]) are grouped into three categories by power
+output, measured in kilowatts (kW):
+
+|Type|Charging Speed (mi/hr)|Power (kW)|Efficiency (%)|Time (50 Miles)|Time (90% SoC)|Time (100% SoC)|
+|----|---------------------:|---------:|-------------:|-------:|--:|---:|
+|Level 1 (L1)|5 mi/hr|1.2 kW|85%|10 hours|57 hours|63 hours|
+|Level 2 (L2)|25 mi/hr|7.2 kW|95%|2 hours|10 hours|11 hours|
+|Level 3 (L3)|500 mi/hr|150 kW|99%|6 minutes|45 minutes|1 hour|
+
+Columns:
+
+* Type: Charger Type Name.
+* Charging Speed: The number of miles of range per hour I gain in my car
+  for this type of charger.  I like to use this instead of kW because
+    it's easier for people to think about than kW or kWh.
+* Efficiency: Energy efficiency for this type of charger, expressed as a
+  percentage and calculated as the difference between the energy from
+  the wall minus the energy that reaches the battery, divided by the
+  energy from the wall (`(Ew - Eb)/Ew`).
+* 50 Miles: Time to gain 50 miles of range in my car using this type
+  of charger.  I included this column because [most Americans drive less
+  than 40 miles per day](https://www.bts.gov/archive/publications/passenger_travel_2015/chapter2a).
+* 90% Charge: Time to charge from 0 to 90% in my car using this type
+  of charger.  I included this column because you don't charge EVs to
+  100% except on long trips.
+* Full Charge: Time to charge from 0 to 100% in my car using this type
+  of charger.
+
+The [Alternative Fuels Data Center][afdc] has a [great summary of EV
+chargers](https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_infrastructure.html#level2).
+
+Links to related EV forum posts I wrote about this stuff:
+
+* [Charger Energy Efficiency](https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?noseen=0&threadid=3932649&perpage=40&pagenumber=287#post518013313)
+* [Lithium Ion Charging Process (aka why charging from 0-80% is fast, and charging from 80-100% is slow)](https://forums.somethingawful.com/newreply.php?action=newreply&postid=517498168)
+
+### Level 1 Chargers
+Level 1 (L1) chargers use standard wall plugs.  Level 1 charging is
+very slow, but you can let your EV charge at night just like a cell
+phone or laptop.
+
+I don't drive very much, so this is how I charge my car except on long
+trips.
+
+Home Level 1 charging is billed at the residential energy rate.  In
+Virginia at $0.13/kWh and 85% efficiency, I pay:
+
+##### Cost of Charging, Home Level 1 Charger
+|Description|Cost|Energy|
+|-----------|---:|-----:|
+|50 miles of range|$2.22|14 kWh|
+|90% Charge (270 miles)|$10.32|67.5 kWh|
+|100% Charge (310 miles)|$11.48|75 kWh|
+
+Here is a cost per mile comparison of [my car][epa-car] using home Level 1
+charging versus [Nadine's car][epa-ioniq], assuming $0.13/kWh for
+electricity and [$3.189/gallon](https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=VA) for
+gasoline:
+
+##### Cost Per Mile Comparison, Home Level 1 Charger
+|Vehicle|Energy Source|Unit Price|Cost per Mile|
+|-------|-------------|---------:|------------:|
+|Nadine|Gasoline|$3.189/gallon|$0.0580|
+|Paul|Home L1 EVSE|$0.13/kWh|**$0.0444**|
+
+### Level 2 Chargers
+Level 2 chargers are 240V, 30A-50A lines with a [J1772][] connector that
+all EVs can use. There are:
+
+* Commercial Level 2 Chargers: Grocery stores, banks, and hotels.  These
+  chargers cost money, bill by charge time or kWh, are invariably a rip
+  off, and I never use them.
+* Municipal Level 2 Chargers: Free public chargers provided by the
+  some cities.  Before COVID-19 I used to use a couple of these
+  regularly.  Example: [Falls
+  Church City Hall chargers](https://www.plugshare.com/location/248308).
+* Home Level 2 Chargers: You can buy and Level 2 charger and install it
+  at home (see below).
+
+A home Level 2 charger typically costs about $400 for the hardware, and
+$100-$1000 for the wiring and installation.  There are federal, state,
+municipal, and power company incentives for home Level 2 chargers.  The
+[Alternative Fuels Data Center][afdc] has a [searchable database of
+incentives](https://afdc.energy.gov/laws).
+
+The installation is probably something you and Steve could do
+yourselves, so you would only pay for the equipment, wiring, and an
+inspection (if necessary).
+
+##### Cost of Charging, Home Level 2 Charger
+|Description|Cost|Energy|
+|-----------|---:|-----:|
+|50 miles of range|$1.99|14 kWh|
+|90% Charge (270 miles)|$9.23|67.5 kWh|
+|100% Charge (310 miles)|$10.27|75 kWh|
+
+Here is a cost per mile comparison of [my car][car-epa] using home Level 2
+charging versus [Nadine's car][epa-ioniq], assuming $0.13/kWh for
+electricity and [$3.189/gallon](https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=VA) for
+gasoline:
+
+
+<table>
+  <caption>Cost Per Mile Comparison, Home Level 2 Charger</caption>
+
+  <thead>
+    <tr>
+      <th>Vehicle</th>
+      <th>Energy Source</th>
+      <th>Unit Price</th>
+      <th>Cost per Mile</th>
+    </tr>
+  </thead>
+
+  <tbody>
+    <tr>
+      <td>Nadine</td>
+      <td>Gasoline</td>
+      <td>$3.189/gallon</td>
+      <td>$0.0580</td>
+    </tr>
+
+    <td>
+      <td>Paul</td>
+      <td>Home L2 EVSE</td>
+      <td>$0.13/kWh</td>
+      <td><b>$0.0398</b></td>
+    </td>
+  </tbody>
+</table>
+
+### Level 3 Chargers
+Level 3 chargers, also known as DC Fast Chargers (DCFC), charge EVs
+quickly by skipping the vehicle's internal charging circuitry and
+pumping energy directly to the battery.
+
+Level 3 chargers are:
+
+* Used for long distance travel
+* Located along major thoroughfares like I-5
+
+Level 3 chargers are more expensive than Level 2 chargers.  Some Level 3
+chargers bill by time (for example, in North Carolina), but most bill by
+amount of energy used, measured in kWh.
+
+The Tesla Superchargers near me charge $0.25/kWh.  At that price it
+costs me:
+
+* $3.50 for 50 miles of range (14kWh)
+* $16.88 for a 90% charge (67.5kWh, 270 miles)
+* $18.75 for a full charge (75kWh, 310 miles)
+
+Cost Per Mile Comparison (excluding taxes, fees, and maintenance)
+Vehicle,Fuel Source,Cost per Mile (excluding taxes, fees, and maintenance)
+Nadine's Car,Gasoline at $3.189/gallon,$0.0580
+My Car,Home Level 2 Charging at $0.13/kWh,$0.070
+
+### Finding Chargers
+EV chargers do not need a large fuel tank or pumps, so they are often
+tucked away in the corners of parking lots and other inconspicuous
+places.
+
+Alonzo and Christine drove through North and South Dakota a few years
+ago, and Alonzo sent me some funny pictures of surprise chargers tucked
+just out of view along the way.
+
+Another example is one of the Tesla Superchargers near my house, which
+is [located the parking lot behind a convenience store](https://www.plugshare.com/location/251943).
+
+Here are a few good resources for finding chargers:
+
+* [PlugShare](https://plugshare.com/): Web site and phone app that
+  allows you to search for chargers and filter the results by plug type
+  billing.  Other users regularly check in with updates and pictures if
+  there are service problems (examples: a broken charger or a non-EV
+  car blocking one of the spots).  I have the PlugShare app installed on
+  my phone and set to only show free Level 2 chargers by default.
+* [Alternative Fuels Station Locator](afdc-stations): Searchable
+  nation-wide database of chargers.  Not as useful as PlugShare.
+* [Tesla Supercharger Map](https://www.tesla.com/findus?v=2): Tesla's
+  map of Superchargers in the United States.  **Hint:** Click the icons
+  at the bottom to exclude "Stores and Galleries", "Service",
+  "Destination Charging", and "Collision Centers".  
+
+Most EVs also have built-in software to find and route to the nearest
+Level 3 charger, so you don't have to fiddle with your phone while
+you're driving.
+
+## Long Distance Driving
+I'm breaking this into a "Tesla" section and a "non-Tesla" sections,
+because the answers are different.
+
+### Long Distance Driving (Tesla)
+You do have to worry about charging on long distance trips, but in
+practice it is not that big of a deal with Tesla EVs unless you are
+traveling more than 100 miles from a major travel route.
+
+Tesla has been building their Supercharger network since 2012, and as of
+2021 Superchargers are located every 100 miles or so along most major
+travel routes in the United States.
+
+You can see that yourself by doing the following:
+
+1. Go to the [Map of Tesla Superchargers][supercharger-map].
+2. Click the buttons at the bottom to filter out everything except for
+   "Superchargers".
+3. Zoom the map out to see the entire United States.
+
+#### Falls Church, VA to Spring Lake, NC
+For example, in 2019, Nadine and I drove to visit Robert and Jenn in
+Spring Lake, NC, which is 320 miles from Falls Church.
+
+We stopped at two Superchargers on the way there:
+
+* Chester, VA
+* Smithfield, NC
+
+We didn't even need the second stop to make it to Spring Lake.  I made
+the second stop because Spring Lake is a small town with no Level 3
+chargers and very few Level 2 chargers, so it was easier to charge 
+before we drove in, then forget that we had an electric car for the
+weekend.
+
+On the way back we stopped at three Superchargers:
+
+* Fayetteville, NC
+* Rocky Mount, NC
+* Fredricksburg, VA
+
+The third stop wasn't necessary for charging, but I needed a break from
+driving and Nadine was hungry.  I remember that stop, because Nadine
+decided that eating clam chowder from a convenience store was a good
+idea.  It was not a good idea.
+
+#### Eugene, OR to Port Angeles, WA (Tesla)
+On the phone you asked about:
+
+1. Driving from Eugene to Port Angeles.  See the notes below.
+2. Driving from Eugene to rural Idaho.  I can't answer this question
+   without a more specific destination.
+
+I said that I was sure driving to from Eugene to Port Angeles in an EV
+would be fine, and listed several fast charging stations along I-5.
+
+You can see what the route for a trip from Eugene to Port Angeles would
+look like in [my car][epa-car] via [A Better Route Planner (ABRP)][abrp]
+at the following URL:
+
+<https://abetterrouteplanner.com/?plan_uuid=e5c6eab0-e5fc-41e5-b730-4e808d8d4777>
+
+So fastest way to travel from Eugene, OR to Port Angeles, WA in [my
+car][epa-car] is:
+
+* one 6 minute stop in Vancouver, WA, and
+* one 11 minute stop in Tumwater, WA.
+
+The total cost would be $10.48.
+
+(Realistically If I made that trip, I would probably wait an additional
+30 minutes at the Tumwater, WA charger and charge to 90%).
+
+For comparison, [Nadine's car][epa-ioniq], could make the trip from
+Eugene to Port Angeles without stopping for gas.
+
+(I can't drive for that long in one sitting because my legs cramp up, so
+realistically I would need to stop at least once to relax and stretch my
+legs for 30 minutes).
+
+Anyway, the given the [average cost of gasoline in Lane County
+($3.746)](https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=OR), and a distance of 339
+miles:
+
+<table>
+  <caption>Eugene, OR to Port Angeles, WA</caption>
+
+  <thead>
+    <th>Car</th>
+    <th>Stops (#)</th>
+    <th>Stops (min)</th>
+    <th>Cost</th>
+  </thead>
+
+  <tbody>
+    <tr>
+      <td>Nadine</td>
+      <td>0</td>
+      <td>0</td>
+      <td>$23.09</td>
+    </tr>
+
+    <tr>
+      <td>Paul</td>
+      <td>2</td>
+      <td>17</td>
+      <td><b>$10.48</b></td>
+    </tr>
+  </tbody>
+</table>
+
+### Long Distance Driving (non-Tesla)
+
+You can still make long distance trips in non-Tesla EVs, but it's more
+complicated because:
+
+* there are fewer non-Tesla Level 3 chargers,
+* non-Tesla Level 3 chargers are more expensive, and
+* non-Tesla Level 3 chargers have screwy billing rates (in other words,
+  they are a rip off)
+
+#### Eugene, OR to Port Angeles, WA (non-Tesla)
+Here is route for the same trip from Eugene, OR to Port Angeles, WA in a
+[Ford Mustang Mach-E Standard RWD][epa-mach-e], according to
+[ABRP][]:
+
+<https://abetterrouteplanner.com/?plan_uuid=44fcd81d-435f-49f8-af0c-d72d9b51af45>
+
+So fastest way to travel from Eugene, OR to Port Angeles, WA in a
+[Mach-E][epa-mach-e] is:
+
+* one 22 minute stop in Vancouver, WA, and
+* one 29 minute stop in Olympia, WA.
+
+The total cost of energy would be $23.27 (more expensive than Nadine's
+car).
+
+Here is the same trip in a [2020 Hyundai Kona EV][epa-kona], according
+to [ABRP][]:
+
+<https://abetterrouteplanner.com/?plan_uuid=733972f4-e90b-457a-9ad6-2ebf4dfe57fb>
+
+The fastest way to travel from Eugene, OR to Port Angeles, WA in a
+[Kona EV][epa-kona] is:
+
+* one 14 minute stop in Portland, OR, and
+* one 24 minute stop in Olympia, WA.
+
+The total cost of energy would be $18.55 (less expensive than [Nadine's
+car][epa-ioniq], but still not as good as [my car][epa-car]).
+
+Here is how all the cars stack up:
+
+<table>
+  <caption>Eugene, OR to Port Angeles, WA</caption>
+
+  <thead>
+    <th>Car</th>
+    <th>Stops (#)</th>
+    <th>Stops (min)</th>
+    <th>Cost</th>
+  </thead>
+
+  <tbody>
+    <tr>
+      <td>2017 Hyundia Ioniq Hybrid</td>
+      <td>0</td>
+      <td>0</td>
+      <td>$23.09</td>
+    </tr>
+
+    <tr>
+      <td>2019 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD</td>
+      <td>2</td>
+      <td>17</td>
+      <td><b>$10.48</b></td>
+    </tr>
+
+    <tr>
+      <td>2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD</td>
+      <td>2</td>
+      <td>51</td>
+      <td>$23.27</td>
+    </tr>
+
+    <tr>
+      <td>2020 Hyundia Kona EV</td>
+      <td>2</td>
+      <td>38</td>
+      <td>$18.55</td>
+    </tr>
+  </tbody>
+</table>
+
+Tesla Model Y LR AWD:
+<https://abetterrouteplanner.com/?plan_uuid=fc1707aa-ef81-42db-a4f6-4991ff43224d>
+
+[epa]: https://fueleconomy.gov/
+  "EPA fuel economy"
+[epa-car]: https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=41190
+  "2019 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD (my car)"
+[epa-ioniq]: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/38484.shtml
+  "2017 Hyundia Ioniq Hybrid (Nadine's car)"
+[evse]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charging_station
+  "EV car charger (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment)"
+[afdc]: https://afdc.energy.gov/
+  "Alternative Fuels Data Center"
+[j1772]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_J1772
+  "J1772 standard level 2 EV charger plug"
+[afdc-stations]: https://afdc.energy.gov/stations/#/find/nearest?fuel=ELEC
+  "Alternative Fuels Data Center Station Locator"
+[supercharger-map]: https://www.tesla.com/findus?v=2
+  "Map of Tesla Superchargers"
+[abrp]: https://abetterrouteplanner.com/
+  "A Better Route Planner (ABRP)"
+[epa-mach-e]: https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=43604
+  "2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Standard RWD"
+[epa-kona]: https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=44444
+  "2020 Hyundai Kona EV"