Navigating the EV Charging Labyrinth; Chevrolet's Evolution; Tackling Supply Chain Strain

Embark with me on a revelatory road trip from Des Moines to Chicago, where the stark landscape of public EV charging infrastructure hits home. As I navigate the maze of fees and fragmented networks, hear about the glimmer of hope provided by ChargeHub and Parkopedia's pledge to streamline the experience for over 80,000 chargers. The journey through the electric avenue isn't all smooth driving—fines lurk for many an unsuspecting EV driver, a tide this potential partnership might turn for the better.

Our show's digital presence is expanding faster than a hot rod at a drag race, and the podcast 'Tech Mobility Topics' offers a turbocharged option for those hungry for bite-sized insights. As we reminisce over the Chevy Astro and marvel at the Trailblazer's transformation, car buffs and tech fans will find themselves riding shotgun through a retrospective journey of Chevrolet's ingenuity and foresight.

Warehouse woes and supply chain challenges take center stage as we unpack the severity of worker shortages and surging wages. The effects of the pandemic loom large, intensifying the pressure on an already strained infrastructure. By probing the outdated practices of traditional warehouses and contrasting them with modern requirements, we spotlight the urgent call for innovation to bolster efficiency and suppress the spiraling costs passed on to consumers. Don't forget, if the live airwaves missed you, our podcast is your on-demand pass to all the techmobility conversation you need.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:15

it's time for the tech mobility show with Ken Chester. Ken is a veteran journalist who doesn't always color between the lines, so here he, the host with the electrified personality Ken Chester.

Speaker 2: 0:28

Real facts, real opinions, real talk. It's time again for the Tech Mobility Show, america's program for news, information and perspective at the intersection of mobility and technology. I'm Ken Chester and, as always, let's get started. On the agenda for this episode, a review of the 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer crossover SUV, why truckers wait hours unpaid, and the Fisker Ocean, a cautionary tale To join the conversation, be it to share an opinion, ask a question or even suggest a topic for a future show. Call or text the Tech Mobility hotline, that number, 872-222-9793, or you can email the show if that is your preference. Talk at techmobilityshow, and that is talk at techmobilityshow From the Tech Mobility News Desk, and I want to talk about this because this goes right to the heart of something I shared with you.

Speaker 2: 1:31

Uh, early february, about a month ago, a trip that I made from des moines to chicago in an ev in the the wee hours A trip that normally takes five hours took me eight plus. I got there, I didn't get stranded, but I spent an additional three hours and about 30 miles out my sorry, 60 miles out my way In order to get to high speed chargers that were available and working along the way. Why do I bring that up now From the EV report. Chargehub and Parkopedia expand EV network. Parkopedia has recently announced a partnership with ChargeHub aimed at streamlining the EV charging process Hallelujah. The collaboration leverages ChargeHub's extensive network of over 80,000 chargers in the United States and Canada, making it simpler for drivers to locate and use charging stations. Parkopedia, a global leader in connected car services, is integrating this vast network into its payment platform. Put a pin in that. I want to come back to that in a minute. This integration facilitates direct access and, my favorite word, frictionless transactions for EV drivers, enabling them to activate and pay for charging services directly from their vehicles. Drivers will benefit from a unified account across multiple charge site operators, simplifying the charging process.

Speaker 2: 3:13

Let me stop right there. I have four different charging apps on my phone, four and the one I had to use. The three chargers were actually owned by Electrify America and because I was not a member of their little tribe paying $7 a month, I paid excessively, I thought. Per kilowatt hour to charge my vehicle, I was paying 40 to 50 cents a kilowatt hour. That was ridiculous. To make that trip I spent. To make that 300 mile trip, I spent $60, which is at least double, almost triple, what I would have spent in gasoline. I was not happy only because I was not a member and you know, for one EV trip I wasn't paying $7 a month to them Wasn't happening. That's why I said put a pin in the frictionless direct access and frictionless transactions for EV drivers, and I said it here.

Speaker 2: 4:19

On this program, I said what they need is one. This program. I said what they need is one, one overriding app or whatever that they would work with all the site owners and they would get their little money because every single one of those charging stations has a location code. So it is not a problem, you know who owns it, because I'm not talking every location, I'm talking every individual charger has a specific location code, every single one. So this is not a big deal in terms of being able to implement it. It's a big deal that it hasn't been done already Because to me that is a major, major to me issue about EV charging and public chargers.

Speaker 2: 5:08

According to Parkopedia, they said this partnership addresses a critical need in the EV market Amen. More than 70% of open network chargers in North America are now accessible through ChargeHub thanks to its collaborations with over 20 charge site operators. I hope Electrify America is one of them. This extensive coverage is a boon for EV drivers. You have no idea. Seriously, it was the one thing amidst a few others, but the major thing that had me fussing the whole trip. We've expressed concerns over the availability and accessibility of charging stations. No, I was fussing over the fact of which app do I use, why am I paying so much and what. I got to go through this drama. But if Parkopedia could also probably tell me, as I'm making my trip, what's available, is it open, is it working, long before I got there so I could plan the trip. I'm looking forward to that, that would be awesome, because what a Parkopedia does is they map every open parking space and you know by checking the app before you get there if it's available and what's available. So to do this for ev charging is awesome and overdue.

Speaker 2: 6:34

According to the Parkopedia 2023 global driver survey, 92 of us EV drivers worry about finding available chargers, a figure that starkly highlights the challenges faced by EV owners. I counter with this. I did my homework. Would have been nicer to know, but because of the time I was traveling, I was horrifically worried about the availability. I was worried about whether they were working or not. This would help long before I got there.

Speaker 2: 7:03

Moreover, parkopedia's collaboration with ChargeHub is expected to enhance the parking and charging experience for EV drivers. By combining parking and charging data, the partnership aims to mitigate common issues such as the risk of parking fines during charging sessions Something I didn't run into because I stayed with the car because I was trying to get somewhere. Here's something I didn't know. I stayed with the car because I was trying to get somewhere. Here's something I didn't know 68% of US EV drivers have encountered fines while charging, underscoring the importance of this integrated approach. I would have been livid, more livid than I was during that trip. For fleet operators, this partnership offers substantial benefits, no kidding. It provides access to a wide range of charges through a single account, integrating valuable parking and charging data for a seamless user experience. They're looking at rolling out EVs across fleets. Fleet drivers can now easily locate and put in priority fast charges, addressing a key concern for those who rely on EVs for their operations.

Speaker 2: 8:07

I'll go one step better. This is to the charge site operators let's get your chargers to actually deliver something close to the number they advertise. Can we do that? Just asking? Can we do that? That would go a long way just asking can we do that? That would go a long way.

Speaker 2: 8:28

It is messed up when I am sitting at a charger that's rated at 150 kilowatts and the thing is only delivering 15 to 25 kilowatts, not okay. Or sitting at a 350 kilowatt charger and I'm most I'm getting, most getting 140. No, if it's 350, I should, for at least that first part, be getting pretty close to that. So, yeah, I yeah. This is kind of sensitive, sensitive to me, but I'm glad somebody is trying to make a difference, trying to make a difference, to make a difference.

Speaker 2: 9:13

The question is will they get the most out of what they can with what they have? Ideally, they'll get 99 or 100% of all CSOs to sign up. To me that would be amazing. You go to one app, one app, and it doesn't matter where I am in the United States. One app and I can charge and I can pay through that and I'm fine One time. That's what they call frictionless and I wanted to share that with you. Let me add this I'm changing gears a little bit.

Speaker 2: 9:41

This is from the Federal Railroad Administration. Gears a little bit. This is from the Federal Railroad Administration and they've announced their inaugural grants for what they're calling the new Railroad Crossing Elimination Program $570 million in grant funding, 63 projects, 32 states. Last year, 2,000 train vehicle collisions occurred at US crossings, and that's according to the Federal Railroad Administration. The administration also received 30,000 reports of blocked crossings through its public complaint portal. Excuse me, if you've never been in a city near a freight yard where you're trying to get across and you got to wait because the train has stopped in front of you, happens here and where the studio is. We're down the street from a rail yard and, depending which way you leave from here, that could happen to you and the problem is you don't know how long you'd be there. Dangerous if you're not looking, a inconvenience if you have to wait up. Next is my review of the, the Chevrolet Trailblazer Crossover SUV. This is the Tech Mobility Show.

Speaker 3: 10:55

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Speaker 2: 11:26

Social media is the main place to be these days, and we are no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Facebook videos, from my latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary of a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Facebook. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to our Facebook page. Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos, from the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.

Speaker 2: 12:22

For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have just the one for you. Hi, I'm Ken Chester. Tech Mobility Topics is a podcast where I upload topic-specific videos each week. Shorter than a full show. These bite-sized programs are just the thing, particularly if you're interested in a particular topic covered on the weekly radio show, from Apple Podcasts to iHeartRadio and many podcast platforms in between, we got you covered. Just enter Tech Mobility Topics in the search bar, wherever you listen to podcasts.

Speaker 5: 12:57

If you're looking for a way to move around a large group and a few of new things, check out a Chevy Astro. It offers enough cargo space to equip an all-star hockey team and enough room to comfortably seat a forward line, two defensemen and a goalie. Pads included, and with standard four-wheel anti-lock brakes, Astro makes it a snap Cheese Getting the home team safely home.

Speaker 2: 13:23

Watch the knees Watch the knees, the Chevrolet Astro minivan Body on frame, built exclusively at their plant in Baltimore, maryland. It was the right size. It just wasn't that reliable, oh wow. But yeah, it was the right size and they sold a lot of them and in fact they were so popular even 10 years out of production. When they went out of production in 2005, you could still find them, and if you found one, even with 200,000 or 300,000 miles on it, it was still commanding a few thousand dollars. That is how well they had the idea for the concept. Now, only if they made the vans as good as the design was for the size, imagine where they could be today.

Speaker 2: 14:10

Let me talk about the Chevrolet Trailblazer. Now. That's a model name that you may have remembered from years past. The name was originally used and that was a capital B for Blazer, as a trim line for the older S10 Blazer from 1998 to 2001. And that year, the Trailblazer one word and capital B became a separate model in North America, riding on a mid-sized body-on-frame SUV that was built exclusively at a General Motors facility in Moraine, ohio, from 2001 to 2008. Riding on the GMT-360 platform and the GMT-370 platform for the extended versions, the Chevrolet Trailblazer was a mechanical sibling to the Buick Rainier, gmc Envoy, oldsmobile, bravada, isuzu Ascender, chevrolet Colorado Pickup Truck and the Saab 97X you remember those? That Trailblazer replaced the Chevy S10 Blazer and then was replaced itself by the all-new and larger Chevrolet Traverse in 2009.

Speaker 2: 15:13

We fast forward to 2020. Chevy resuscitated the Trailblazer name now with small b, one word as an all-new, smaller crossover SUV for the 2021 model year. Follow me for a minute, because here's where things get interesting. The new Trailblazer was supposed to replace the outgoing Chevy Trax as their new entry-level crossover SUV. As a result, the Trax was put on hiatus for 2023. However, for the 2024 model year, chevy revamped the low end of their crossover SUV product line and reintroduced a new, larger Trax to anchor the budget end of the line. For example, all Trax models which I thought was a masterstroke have a base MSRP that starts below $25,000, regardless of trim level. They all start below $25,000. Regardless of trim level, they all start below $25,000. The Trailblazer is now slotted one step above the Trax although get this it's slightly smaller and one step below the Equinox. You got all that Okay, just checking, now that I have you up to date. The 2024 Chevy Trailblazer is a small crossover SUV that is offered in four trim levels.

Speaker 2: 16:28

Base power for the Chevy SUV is produced I'm not kidding a 1.2 liter three-cylinder gasoline turbo engine, and it's pretty awesome. I'll talk about that in a minute. It produces 137 horsepower and 162 foot-pounds of torque. Produces 137 horsepower and 162 ft-lbs of torque. A slightly larger 1.3-liter 3-cylinder turbo engine making 155 horsepower and 174 ft-lbs of torque is an available option. Both motors are bolted to a continuously variable automatic transmission. A 9-speed automatic is optional for the 1.3-liter turbo. All-wheel drive is also an available option. Epa fuel economy is 29 city 31 highway for the base engine, 29 city 33 highway for the 1.3-liter turbo front-wheel drive and 26 city 29 highway for all-wheel drive. Cargo capacity is 15.4 cubic feet with the rear seating folded flat. Towing capacity is 1,000 pounds.

Speaker 2: 17:29

Here's what I liked about the vehicle. The 1.3 liter turbo coupled with the 9-speed automatic transmission is impressive, delivering a peppy response and performance when underway. The trailblazer is small but solid in a driver-inspiring way. The driver enjoys a good outward view of the road. The infotainment system is generally user-friendly. The heated steering wheel and heated seats resolve an issue I have had with Chevrolet in the past. I mean, why would I want heated seats and not have a heated steering wheel. Chevy, speaking of the steering wheel, audio controls on the steering wheel are convenient and easy to use Inside the passenger cabin.

Speaker 2: 18:12

Small does not mean cheap. In the Chevy Trailblazer there are plenty of high-speed USB ports front and rear, with even a conventional electric plug for backseat passengers. And speaking of rear seat passengers, the Trailblazer offers a surprising amount of rear legroom. Four adults can travel with some degree of comfort In the cargo area. The split folding rear seats fold flat with the cargo floor a major plus for me and their spare tire is accessible from inside the vehicle, just under the cargo area floor. Regular listeners know that is my number one pet peeve, because when you need it you need to be able to get to it, and if it's underneath the car and that happens to be the side of the vehicle is flat, it's a nightmare. And it never happens conveniently, by the way, ever.

Speaker 2: 19:03

Here's what I didn't like about the vehicle. I found that just tuning the radio was quirky and fussy and, for all this goodness, the dashboard configuration and presentation felt and looked cheap when compared to the rest of the vehicle. I was surprised that the interior lighting was not LCDs, a major drawback in my estimation and despite its small footprint, I also found the Trailblazer to have a high liftover height. When trying to get cargo to the back of the vehicle you gotta lift it high. It's not okay. And then, finally, the rear view camera has a very distorted lens. I couldn't and I didn't trust it. Points for side view mirrors and all that training.

Speaker 2: 19:49

Here's the bottom line For the money. The Chevy Trailblazer is a wonderful vehicle With handsome, good exterior looks, body integrity that seems better than my larger Equinox and more legroom than you would expect at first glance. I'm not a fan of the dashboard presentation and the just-okay fuel economy. When my larger Equinox beats it hands down with a larger engine and an older transmission. The bottom line is that it is a worthy contender in its price class that deserves your consideration.

Speaker 2: 20:23

Here's a little extra. Ken's going to give you a little extra on this one. If you can do without all-wheel drive, you might consider the Chevy Trax. The new Trax is actually a little larger and it's cheaper. Just saying might consider the chevy tracks. The new tracks is actually a little larger and it's cheaper. Just saying the base manufacturer suggested retail priceRP is tested. Chevy Trailblazer RS all-wheel drive with the following extra cost options Sunroof convenience package, adaptive cruise and sound package. Winter summer floor mat package. Driver confidence package. Total cost of the options four thousand six hundred and seventy five dollars, total msrp including options and destination charges. Thirty four thousand six hundred and seventy dollars. I really like driving this thing and the only drawback you're going to have to get a trailblazer if you want a small chevy, all-wheel drive, because the tracks, in order to keep the price down, they don't offer all-wheel drive. Oh wow, we list the surprising reasons why truckers wait for hours unpaid.

Speaker 2: 21:43

This is the Tech Mobility Show. Do you listen to podcasts? Seems that most people do. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. If you've missed any of our weekly episodes on the radio, our podcast is a great way to listen. You can find the Tech Mobility Podcast just about anywhere. You can enjoy podcasts. Be sure to follow us From Apple Podcasts, iheartradio and many platforms in between. We are there. Just enter the Tech Mobility Podcast in the search bar. Wherever you listen to podcasts, social media, it's the place to be. We're no exception. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Several times a week, I post to TikTok several of the topics that I cover on my weekly radio show. It's another way to keep up on mobility, technology news and information. I've built quite a library of short videos for your viewing pleasure, so be sure to watch, like and subscribe. That's the Tech Mobility Show on TikTok. Check it out.

Speaker 2: 22:52

Loading and unloading the bane of many of America's over 2 million truck drivers. Just waiting to pick up or drop off a load can take hours of valuable time Time that the truck is not on the road, time that the truck is not being compensated. It's an expensive problem. This is topic B. Let me start with a number 1.3. That's $1.3 billion in lost wages due to something they call detention time. And what detention time is? For those of you outside of the trucking industry, it is time a trucker has to wait to drop off or pick up a load. Trucker has to wait to drop off or pick up a load, typically the first two hours. They don't get paid for it, they get nothing and supposedly any time after that they'll get charged. The shipper will get charged by the trucking company.

Speaker 2: 23:53

Here's what's not clear. Truckers have what they call federal hours of service, that when they're in that cab and behind that wheel, that they have a certain amount of time, given any 24-hour period that they can be driving. My understanding is that, at least in part, some of this detention time cuts into that, which means not only are they losing valuable time, but they're losing time that they can't get back, that they're losing for that day, particularly with time-sensitive freight. Here's something else to consider. Many truckers are paid by the mile. I mean, if that truck ain't moving, they ain't getting paid. So what happens if you're at a warehouse and you're stuck for five hours and you're down the tubes for the first two, but you still got three? Even if they paid attention time, you still have some money. This is a thing. This is a thing that's happening for real, and it's one of the bizarre features of being a trucker. How much time you said.

Speaker 2: 25:00

Truck drivers spend an average of 119 minutes per pickup or drop off waiting to be loaded or unloaded. Remember, that's average. So they're right at two hours, which means half of them are less, half of them are more and, as I mentioned earlier, they're expected to wait for free during the first two hours and then receive hourly pay for each additional hour. I don't know how that pay is set and if that seems absurdly inefficient it is. A 2018 study from the US Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General found that truck drivers lose between $1.1 and $1.3 billion in earnings because of detention time. What's more, each 15-minute increase in detention increases expected crash rates by 6.2%. Think about that. And why is that? Because when you're finally underway and you got time to make up, are you going to be that careful? Your mind is concentrating on getting on the road and making up that mileage. You may not be as careful. So detention isn't just frustrating for drivers, it's potentially dangerous and it's a safety issue because they're always in a hurry to get back on the road and that can lead to accidents because, again, if the truck ain't, if those wheels ain't turning, they ain't earning. So why is this? Well, folks in the know in the industry boil it down to these items and really it's three items that, when you think about it, it's like why Warehouses need to hire more workers. Warehouses are extremely out of date and the big brands you know the major brands aren't falling all over themselves to address either issue.

Speaker 2: 26:49

Everybody's been talking about the challenges in the supply chain. We are no different. We've talked about it a lot here. We hadn't really specified a lot of time about the warehouse itself, but hardcore, hardcore answer there aren't enough warehouse workers, and this was compounded through the pandemic and while pay increases have followed roughly today in the United States of America, about 1.8 million people work in the warehousing sector and through November of last year, warehouse workers and management earned just under $24 an hour on average, while that's about 50 an hour increase from the year before. Check this out it's $4 an hour higher than five years ago, which was just before the pandemic, and this pay is higher than most blue collar or service work, and that's according to Business Insider.

Speaker 2: 27:47

Unfortunately, it's not enough to keep warehouses staffed and if you've ever worked in a warehouse, it's notoriously demanding, with crazy hours, challenging quotas and higher exposure to workplace industries. If you've ever worked in a warehouse, they have what is called a pick rate. If you're working in food or something like that, there's so many items you need to pull off the shelves per hour and they don't care to pull off the shelves per hour and they don't care. I worked in a situation like that. That basically meant every 15 seconds I had to have my hand on something, pulling it 15 seconds and they expected you so many an hour. In the warehouse I worked in. They told us when they hired us the pick rate was 160. When I got there they said it was 180. And actually in actuality the actual given pick rate on the floor was 200 or higher. That is, 200 items per hour. Think about that that you're getting instructions to go someplace in the warehouse to pick an item for an order that's designed to go out of the warehouse, and it really doesn't matter what you're doing, whether it's groceries or auto parts or whatever. It's a pick rate.

Speaker 2: 29:05

Typically these folks are held to a performance rate and these quotas are hard. It means constant moving and you best be paying attention. It's too easy to get hurt and it's too easy to get tired. It's real easy to get careless. The current warehouses are inquidated and no match for the modern shipper, the modern needs. They say there are two ways a truck can get loaded, something called drop and hook, where a driver simply unhooks the trailer or hooks up to a new one. Drivers can get in and out of a warehouse in about 30 minutes that way and warehouse workers load or unload a trailer without needing the driver to be there, which sounds wonderful, right. Except to do that you need more land, and most of these warehouses and most of these terminals are in places that are landlocked. They can't do that. The other thing is called live load, where a driver waits while being loaded or unloaded. That's what most people think about when they think about warehouses. That takes around three hours, which means two hours not getting paid, one hour maybe getting paid on average, in large part because you're waiting for workers to be available to do the job. According to the industry, drop and hook is becoming the norm. However, as I just said, it requires more space and if you ain't got the space, that ain't going to work.

Speaker 2: 30:30

Most of these warehouses being used by the brands that you are familiar with are 50 to 70 years old, meaning they were built as early as the 1940s, as late as the 1960s, and obviously what we buy and what we want has exploded since then. There's way more stuff, way more stuff. So what do you do? What do you do? Exploded since then. There's way more stuff, way more stuff. So what do you do? What do you do? There's safety issues, there's logistical issues and, yes, consumer, you're paying for a detention time Because all this inefficiency is hitting you in the pocket, absolutely, but you know there needs to be a better, better way. With everything we've just been through with supply chain challenges, you would think this is one of the things they've come to grips with, particularly as we've gone to an e-commerce environment more warehouses think about it. The cautionary tale of the fisker ocean Ocean EV.

Speaker 2: 31:32

We are the Tech Mobility Show. To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings at the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow. You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow. Did you know that Tech Mobility has a YouTube channel? Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show YouTube channel. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Each week, I upload a few short videos of some of the hot topics that I cover during my weekly radio program. I've designed these videos to be informative and entertaining. It's another way to keep up on current mobility and technology news and information. Be sure to watch, like and subscribe to my channel.

Speaker 3: 32:47

That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out. Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and platforms for meetings? Webinars that's the Tech Mobility Show can enjoy a 30-day free trial. It's time to simplify your life and boost your productivity. Aonmeetingscom, where innovation meets connection. Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate.

Speaker 2: 33:08

Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos From the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight you. Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.

Speaker 2: 33:38

Hendrick Fisker is a world-renowned automotive executive with years of experience in and around the industry. He first ventured out on his own about 15 years ago with a Karma hybrid sedan and convertible. At the time, he tried to go it alone and manufacture the vehicle in a former General Motors plant in Delaware In order to salvage that. When it didn't go all that well, he actually went to a contract manufacturer, but too little, too late and that venture failed. This time, together with a successful and well-known automotive contract manufacturer in Europe, he's trying again to bring EVs to market. What could possibly go wrong? This is topic C. I've said this many times. I will say this many more times the automotive industry is capital intensive. We are talking billions of dollars and many years If you're going to play in this pond, if you're going to play in this sandbox, you are making billions of dollars worth of commitment over many, many years. Now, a great way to mitigate a lot of the hardware and lead time is to have somebody else build your baby.

Speaker 2: 34:55

There are a lot of contract manufacturers in the industry. It's the industry's dirty little secret that for popular but low volume vehicles or high performance vehicles that are in the low numbers vehicles or high performance vehicles that are in the low numbers, chances are even established. Traditional manufacturers will turn to a contract manufacturer to build it. Case in point the BMW Z4 to Toyota Supra, neither of which are built by the companies that have their names on them, but they are built by the same contract manufacturer and ironically, it's the same contract manufacturer that Hendrick Fisker is trying to use. Now what's the difference? The difference is that it does not really matter how awesome the contract manufacturer is If you haven't done your engineering part for the vehicle you want them to build, or that you get them involved way late down the road, past the point where they would normally get involved, to lend what they do know about building vehicles. The contract manufacturer I'm talking about is called Magna Steer. They were originally based in Canada. They're highly regarded. Their plant in Grasse, austria, has built some of everything, including Jeep Grand Cherokees, for the European market. They're very good at what they do. They turn out quality that is so high because they're building BMWs, mercedes and Toyotas. In that plant you couldn't tell that it wasn't built by the original manufacturer. It's that good.

Speaker 2: 36:38

So what happened with the Fisker Ocean, the EV, that people were plunking down a $1,000 non-refundable deposit two years before job one and these things had nothing but problems. Well, again, the automotive industry is capital intensive. It's not all hardware, it's engineering, it's software, it's integration, it's body in white. It's using all of that talent to make sure all these subsystems work together the way they were intended, the way they were designed. If you don't have the money to invest in the engineering to make it all work from all the suppliers that you're using, then it's a problem. One of the ways out of that problem is to entrust a large part or a large subsystem to one manufacturer. The problem with that is you get locked into probably a higher price per unit than you would like and, trust me, the auto industry is all about literally pennies per unit. The domestic manufacturers, the traditional manufacturers, argue over tenths of a cent per per unit people. It is no joke. Cost containment, cost management and product integration are big deals and even with this move towards EVs by the big folks, the folks have been doing this for over a hundred years. They've been having problems. The difference is that they're working those out and they have the wherewithal not necessarily to roll a product out before it's ready. Fisker didn't really have much choice, because this is all they had, and when you don't have the cash cushion, you do what you can. These different sub manufacturers providing different modules. What kind of bench uh, engineering bench do you have that will work with all these folks to make sure all of this stuff communicates the way it's supposed to?

Speaker 2: 38:39

We get into a vehicle nowadays, we take for granted, we press the button, we put it in the gear, we expect that vehicle to do everything it's supposed to do, regardless of the thousands upon thousands of lines of code, even on our vehicles, even now, even the ones that are not EVs. I was told that a mid-decade F-150, 2014, 2016, ford F-150, had one million lines of software code in it. It's not even electric. I'm not talking about the lightning. I'm talking about a stock, regular, run-of-the-mill Ford F-150 pickup truck. You can only imagine what's going on with EVs.

Speaker 2: 39:25

And despite Magna's involvement, the Fisker Oceans had a lot of problems Loss of power, loss of braking efficiency, customers locked in or locked out, faulty key fobs, hoods flying open, dead batteries, faulty seat sensors, loss of regenerative braking. That is just some of the examples Automotive News quoted. Even Hendrick Fisker says it is not Magna magnus steer. He'll tell you that in a minute. Even though this stylish electric crossover is built in the same plan that performs contract manufacturing for mercedes-benz, soya, bmw, jaguar and other automakers, and even though that plant, since 2001, has produced over 4 million cars without the right engineering, it's still a problem. It wasn't body integrity, it wasn't how these vehicles were put together, it was how they were engineered. That, ladies and gentlemen, falls on the manufacturer, falls on the automaker, falls on the people whose name is on the hood.

Speaker 2: 40:36

And almost since its launch last summer, the ocean's quality has been underwater and we talked about some of those problems. And I need to reach out to somebody. I've got a friend of mine whose husband supposedly took delivery of a Fisker Ocean right here in Des Moines Need to ask her how he's doing, because of course there are no dealers within miles, so I don't know how he would even have the problems fixed, or even if over-the-air updates would resolve these problems. They were supposed to build 36,000 of these oceans last year. They built just 4,900.

Speaker 2: 41:13

That's part of your quality problem. It's called product smoothing. You got to build so many at scale in order to get the process down and to get good at what you're doing. If you don't build enough, you can't get there, and that's really some of the problem with the manufacturing. You got to get the numbers up, and 4,900 ain't going to cut it for where they need to be, particularly with what people are expecting at this price point. So will Fisker make it Only if they get the problems ironed out. But a lot of people are foregoing their deposit. They're willing to lose a thousand bucks. I'm done. There's other choices out there. I'm going to go deal with those. Oh well, we've come to the end of our program. Be sure to join me here next week. At this same time, you have been listening to the Tech Mobility Show.

Speaker 1: 42:11

The Tech Mobility Show is a copywritten production of Tech Mobility Productions, incorporated Any rebroadcast retransmission or any other use is prohibited without the written consent of Tech Mobility Productions Inc.

Speaker 2: 42:21

For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have just the one for you. Hi, I'm Ken Chester. Tech Mobility Topics is a podcast where I upload topic-specific videos each week. Shorter than the full show. These bite-sized programs are just the thing, particularly if you're interested in a particular topic covered on the weekly radio show. From Apple Podcasts to iHeartRadio and many podcast platforms in between, we got you covered. Just enter Tech Mobility Topics in the search bar. Wherever you listen to podcasts Social media it's the place to be where, no exception. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Several times a week, I post to TikTok several of the topics that I cover on my weekly radio show. It's another way to keep up on mobility technology news and information. I've built quite a library of short videos for your viewing pleasure, so be sure to watch, like and subscribe. That's the Tech Mobility Show on TikTok. Check it out. To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings at the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow. You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow.

Speaker 2: 43:48

Do you listen to podcasts? Seems that most people do. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. If you've missed any of our weekly episodes on the radio, our podcast is a great way to listen. You can find the Tech Mobility Podcast just about anywhere you can enjoy podcasts. Be sure to follow us From Apple Podcasts, iheart Radio and many platforms in between. We are there. Just enter the Tech Mobility Podcast in the search bar wherever you listen to podcasts.