The TechMobility Podcast
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The TechMobility Podcast
Gas Who? Hydrogen's Takes the Wheel, Kia K4 GT-Line Review, From Go-Karts to F1, AI Reshapes Rural America
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The transportation landscape is undergoing a hydrogen revolution that few are talking about. While headlines focus on battery electric vehicles, hydrogen is quietly emerging as the true contender for zero-emission long-haul trucking. As I reveal in this episode, hydrogen offers two compelling pathways - direct combustion in modified engines or electricity generation via fuel cells - both eliminating the weight, charging, and capacity challenges that plague battery electric solutions in Class 8 trucks.
Hyundai and Toyota are already proving hydrogen's commercial viability. Hyundai has deployed 21 Exeant hydrogen fuel cell trucks at their Georgia manufacturing plant, while Toyota's new third-generation fuel cell system matches conventional diesel engine durability - critical for an industry measured in half-million-mile increments. For trucking companies obsessed with maximizing ton-miles while minimizing costs, hydrogen simply makes more economic and practical sense.
I also take you behind the scenes of Formula 1's shocking youth development pipeline, where talent scouts from Mercedes and Ferrari evaluate drivers as young as six years old. Parents invest hundreds of thousands annually for children to compete in karting championships, with many abandoning traditional schooling to pursue racing dreams. This ultra-exclusive system raises troubling questions about whether genuine talent is being overlooked due to financial barriers.
The episode concludes with an examination of AI's physical footprint across America's heartland. Companies like Meta are building massive data centers in rural communities, promising economic revitalization but delivering minimal long-term employment. More concerning is the infrastructure investment required to support these facilities - utilities are constructing power plants with 30-40 year lifespans for companies only guaranteeing 15-year commitments. What happens when technology evolves and these facilities become obsolete?
Call The TechMobility Hotline at 872-222-9793 or email talk@techmobilityshow.com to share your thoughts on hydrogen transportation, youth sports development, or AI's impact on rural communities.
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Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm Ken Chester On the docket my impressions and review of the all-new Kia K4 GT line sedan. The first step to F1, and the AI data center boom is coming to America's heartland. To add your voice to the conversation, be it to ask a question, share an opinion or even suggest a topper for a future episode, call or text the TechMobility hotline, that number, 872-222-9793. Or you can email the show directly. Talk at techmobilityshow From the Tech Mobility News Desk.
Speaker 2:We spent a lot of time talking about battery electric vehicles. I'm going to defer a little bit and I'm going to talk about some alternative powered vehicles. What I'm talking about is hydrogen. Now there's two ways you can use hydrogen to power a vehicle. You can actually burn it like gasoline and because of its properties it takes very little modification of an existing internal combustion engine to burn the stuff of an existing internal combustion engine to burn the stuff. Or you can use it to power a chemical reaction in an electric fuel cell to generate electricity. Both of these have advantages because hydrogen doesn't have the nastiness. When you burn hydrogen, it actually pollutes way less than even gasoline. If you use hydrogen as part of the electrical chemical reaction that generates electricity, you get water vapor and no greenhouse gases or anything at all.
Speaker 3:You get water vapor.
Speaker 2:It's what you get. So hydrogen's a thing, so hydrogen's a thing. I've often said that all the to-do about EV Class 8, which are the heavy over-the-road pickup trucks heavy trucks, not pickup trucks, but the heavy tractor trailers I said that that was really not accurate. Anybody that's serious about going to zero emissions in a Class 8 big rig for long distances are not talking about battery electrics. They're not why they're heavy. They take forever to charge. And the thing about trucking it's about how much can I haul, how far can I haul it For how little fuel and labor do I need to spend to do that? That's the formula I want to haul. I want to get as many ton miles as I can get for as low a fuel cost and as fewer driver hours as I can possibly get in order to move that one ton of stuff one mile. And that is what I'm looking at If I am a trucking company, if I am a third party logistics company that handles coordinating truckloads, that's what I'm looking for. That is why hydrogen, in either form, makes sense. In the realm of a fuel cell, well, it's lighter. Realm of a fuel cell well, it's lighter. I don't have the batteries, I don't have the tonnage, which means I am not losing revenue to carry batteries that make me no money instead of freight that does, it doesn't weigh that much. The reason why I'm bringing this up this is an article from the Commercial Carrier Journal and they're talking about a fleet of 14 hydrogen Hyundai big rig trucks to their fleet to serve Hyundai's new mega factory in Georgia. Built by Hyundai, runs on hydrogen. On hydrogen. Hyundai Motor Company cracked into the US commercial truck market late last year with the deployment of 21 of their Exeant heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks and they're primarily deployed on the ground at the Hyundai Motor Group meta plant that is in Georgia that they just had an open house. Here's what you might not know about the Hyundai group, currently the third largest car maker in the world by production. That is, the Hyundai group that is Hyundai Kia and Genesis, in case you didn't know Continues to put its stamp on the, with 14 of those trucks added to the Benor Logistics Systems fleet. Their partnership with Hyundai was established through another logistics company and the trucks will be implemented on the dedicated routes in the Savannah area to service that plant.
Speaker 2:The company Benor is based in Spartanburg County, south Carolina. The reason why that's important. There is a major auto assembly plant in that county it's BMW. So if they're successful with these Hyundai trucks and BMW is committed to lower greenhouse gases, they're committed to electrifying fleets. Wouldn't it be a matter of time before BMW also buy some of these trucks?
Speaker 2:These hydrogen fuel cell trucks represent a significant step forward for Benoit and our ability to innovate sustainable logistics solutions. That is the vice president of revenue strategy and operation development for the company. That their partnership with Hyundai is a key to the company's mission and values. That they make a priority around sustainability and exploring advanced technology. Now, under the partnership, hyundai Motor Group is responsible for manufacturing the trucks and an in-house logistics company oversees deployment of the fleet. Benora, who owns the trucks, manages the fleet's daily logistics, ensuring just-in-time and just-in-sequence operations that meet the demands of the contract.
Speaker 2:Just-in-time and just-in-sequence. These trucks will be running constantly because the automakers 40 years ago all of them went to what we call just in time inventory. They don't have work and process between functions anymore. They saved billions of dollars by getting rid of that. But what that means is they need a tightly coordinated schedule of delivery from the supplier plants. Trucks can't break down. Trucks can't be out of service for charging Trucks have to run because that line runs and it's hundreds of thousands of dollars an hour for every hour. Those assembly lines once up don't run, it gets real expensive, real fast. So the fact that they're bringing these trucks into that environment means that the reliability is there, the quality is there and their ability to do the job is there.
Speaker 2:And fun fact, you may not know this For the last seven or eight years Toyota has been testing fuel cell trucks in the port of Long Beach, for years in Peterbilt's and Kenworth trucks with a Toyota fuel cell system in those trucks, testing them For short range haul, typically 200 miles or less, because if they're delivering outside the port they're coming back to the port every night. So Toyota has a lot of this under their belt too. And it kind of leads me into the next related story where Toyota has just introduced their new fuel cell system, exhilarating adoption in the commercial sector towards realization of a hydrogen society. That is their words that their new third generation FC system is designed to meet the particular needs of the commercial sector with the same durability as conventional diesel powered engines. Did you hear me? These are not snowflake motors, these are vehicles designed. And when you say diesels, you're looking at half a million million miles between overhauls. You're looking at some hard use, constant use, everyday use over long periods of time. So the fact that Toyota scaled up new third generation fuel cell system can meet that demand, meet that need. I ought to tell you something Anybody that's still talking about battery electrics for class eight trucks over the road long distance don't know what they're talking about.
Speaker 2:The future is either burning hydrogen as a fuel or using hydrogen as part of the chemical reaction for a fuel cell. Both of these make sense in that niche. Anything else for a long haul over 500 miles does not. It just does not add, it does not compute. This is part of trucking's messy middle that they're trying to figure it out and it's one of many solutions that trucking fleets are looking at as they seek to decarbonize, because it is a big deal and they are committed to it and the funny thing of it is it's going to save maintenance, it's going to save money, it's a win-win-win and the environment is not necessarily the top of the mind, not the main reason why they're doing it, because these next generation are that competitive and when you're trying to shave a tenth of a cent per mile.
Speaker 2:It adds up. That's where trucks are, that's where they're at. They're looking at tonnage. They're looking at tonnage, they're looking at cost, they're looking at durability, they're looking at cost of ownership. And right now, these are the numbers that are making sense to them, particularly if they can do it with little or no modification. Hence the burning hydrogen. The all-new Kia K4 sedan replaces the Forte in the automakers lineup. My impressions and review are next. You are listening to Tech Mobility Show.
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Speaker 2: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: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:Introducing Kia, Obsessed with building a car as well-made as the Honda Civic, we conducted the following test Does this insurance cover everything? After months of testing our cars in rental fleets what if I hit a deer? We learned how to make them even more durable. Is there a shortcut to the freeway? Yeah, I know how to drive in the rain. Why subject our cars to all this abuse? Because we think it's about time everyone had a well-made car. Kia call for the dealer nearest you.
Speaker 2:Friend of mine used to say don't be gentle, it's a rental. It's the quickest way to find out if your car has what it takes, because rental cars get a lot of abuse. So there's no joke there. And that was back in 1994. And Kia's come a long way since then. So who says you can't have your cake and eat it too? The Kia K4 sedan, and may I list right here Kia's still one of the Asian manufacturers that continues to aggressively manufacture cars the larger K5 and the new K4. And I should also point out that the K5 is made in the United States, in Georgia, and the K4 is imported from Mexico. Now the K4 is a compact car manufactured by the automaker as a replacement for the long-running Forte sedan Initially introduced to the public in March of last year at the New York International Auto Show. The first-ever K4 offered by the automaker comes in five distinct trim levels.
Speaker 2:This review is about the top-of-the-line K4 GT-Line Turbo sedan model. Stretched at all four corners with bold styling proportions aligned with the tenets of Kia's Opposites United design direction, the K4 makes a powerful, dynamic statement. According to the automaker, the K4 is the widest sedan with the largest footprint in the compact segment. Rear passengers will enjoy a ride with class-leading 38 inches of legroom and class-leading headroom at 37.3 inches. Standard vertically-oriented LED headlights and taillights take inspiration from the flagship EV9 and create pronounced edges through lighting signature in the front and rear. Hidden rear door handles in the C-pillar emphasize K4's fastback proportions and draw attention to a swept-back daylight opening. Like other GT line models in the Kia lineup, exterior design flourishes distinguish the K4 GT line. Unique front and rear fascia with gloss black accents, a satin chrome beltline 18-inch alloy wheels and gloss black mirror caps, window trim and side stills set it apart from within the K4 model lineup. Small cube LED production headlights and LED fog lights add to the exterior of the K4 GT-Line Turbo.
Speaker 2:Power for the GT-Line Turbo is generated by a 1.6-liter gasoline 4-cylinder turbo engine that makes 190 horsepower and 195 foot-pounds of torque. Energy is delivered to the front wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. Epa fuel economy numbers are 26. City 36. Highway. Cargo capacity is 14.6 cubic feet.
Speaker 2:Currently, the K4 sedan is not offered with an EV or hybrid powertrain, and all-wheel drive is currently not available. Now, just because it's a compact passenger sedan doesn't mean that the K4 comes up short when it comes to advanced safety features and creature comforts. The K4 refines and expands the standard and available advanced driver assistance systems. Additionally, the K4 adds standard rear-side airbags for a total of eight. The K4 offers motorists the latest suite of Kia advanced driver assistance systems, including standard intelligent speed limit assist, lane keeping assist and smart cruise control with stop and go.
Speaker 2:Central to the available driver assistance technology on the K4 is Forward Collision Avoidance 1.5, which is designed to help and detect and prevent collisions from occurring in certain circumstances and detect vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists in front of the vehicle while driving, as well as oncoming vehicles while turning left at an intersection, and bear in mind most of your offset front collisions are as a result of left-hand turns. Haptic steering wheel warnings add tactile alerts for the driver. Optional on the K4 GT-Line Turbo. Forward Collision Avoidance 2 adds functionality and is engineered to detect crossing vehicles while crossing through an intersection. The system is also designed to help provide a degree of braking and or steering input to help prevent certain collisions or lessen the effects of systems detects oncoming vehicles while passing other vehicles and vehicles in front of car while changing lanes. Finally, the K4's evasive steering assist can help mitigate collisions with obstacles, pedestrians or other vehicles detected ahead and will warn the driver. In certain situations, if there is space to avoid the collision in the lane, it can assist the driver's steering Forward. Collision Avoidance 2 is designed to, in certain instances, help avoid a collision with a direct oncoming vehicle through auditory and visual warnings as well as by applying the brakes. The optional Sur view monitor is designed to provide a 360-degree view in reversing and parking scenarios using cameras around the K4. Available parking distance warning is designed to add a 360-degree capability to the forward side and reverse parking maneuvers. And bear in mind all this from a modern, compact passenger sedan.
Speaker 2:So here's what I liked about the vehicle. The Kia K4 GT Line Turbo delivers a performance when underway that is solid and substantial but not heavy-handed. The sedan is very willing and responsive at highway speeds. The ride quality is comfortable, with handling and control best described as dependable and workmanlike, kind of middle of the pack. It's definitely a backroads cruiser, though Inside the cabin the K4 is a modern rendition of an automotive interior. Displays, controls and switchgear are user-friendly. Fog lights, remote engine start I just like to say it because it's true in this car. The optional 360 surround view camera is excellent. Wristy passengers do enjoy decent legroom for two adults and the rear center arm rest features dual molded cup holders, dual USB ports as well. The cargo area is nice size for carrying one's stuff. The spare tire is accessible from inside the vehicle, under the cargo area floor, and to that you know me I say yay.
Speaker 2:So here's what I didn't like the K4 seems to sit very low compared to a comparable size crossover SUV. The sloped rear window offers limited outward visibility, which is only resolved with the surround view cameras. Not that you will ever need to access the engine compartment, but unlike most of its competitors, it's stamped from heavy steel. Be careful. The remote gas filler door release and remote trunk lid opener are straight out of 1985, low and to the left of the driver's seat. The manual releases for the split rear seat back are in the trunk. Boo. And finally, the folding rear seat does not fold flat with the cargo floor. So here's the bottom line.
Speaker 2:While the Kia K4 GT Line Turbo, which is the top-of-the-line model, by the way, has a lot to recommend it, its interesting combination of high software tech and low passenger cabin. Hardware tech translates to a nice car, but seems to be much older with respect to its approach to crease comforts and convenience tech. My opinion Manufacturers suggested retail price for the 2025 Kia K4 GT line turbo sedan starts from $28,090. Destination charges add $1,155. Msrp is tested. The K4 adds the following optional equipment GT line turbo technology package and that goes for $2,200. And some of the stuff in that package includes your smartphone, digital key memory. Driver's seat and outside mirrors, ventilated front seats, parking collision avoidance assist, parking warning, forward reverse side highway driving assist to surround view monitor, blind view monitor and multicolor LED ambient lighting. Total MSRP, including options and destination charges, came to $31,445. Now, to be honest, this is top of the line, so you're just about top end out. You can buy this for $10,000 less. You won't get all of this fancy stuff, but honestly, the K4 is pretty solid for what it offers. I just don't think it's as modern as it could be. How do you find and recruit young people for Formula 1? By sponsoring a go-kart racing, of course.
Speaker 2: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 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, and we're no exception. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show.
Speaker 2: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. Their names are Alessandro and Julian and they race 160-pound go-karts. They are fierce competitors in the World Series of Karting Championship and they may just become the next generation of Formula 1 drivers. And, by the way, they're aged 11 and 12 years old and have been competing since they were 9 and 10. And they are fierce competitors even though they're on the same team. And here's a fun fact Every current F1 driver, every single one, started in a go-kart. Welcome to the baby racing team. This is topic B. The article says first step to F1.
Speaker 2:And if you're not familiar with Formula One, formula One is the dominant type of racing that the rest of the world tunes into. Nascar is a US thing Doesn't really translate well, but Formula One everywhere You've seen the Grand Prixs in luxurious places. It is and has been a big deal for years. But how do they find, how do they recruit and how do they develop Formula One drivers? I had no idea, which is why I wanted to share this with you. These are little boys, they're not even teenagers. Wanted to share this with you. These are little boys, they're not even teenagers. And would you believe that their parents and their sponsors spend and I'm not even exaggerating hundreds of thousands of dollars wait for it, a year, so that these young men can compete? They're 11 and 12 years old and brutally fierce competitors 11 and 12.
Speaker 2:Formula One had a problem as it grew in popularity. They wanted a way to identify future champions who can't yet drive a car. Karting is the sport's best approximation, a birthday party diversion that has been bankrolled and professionalized into a series of miniature Grand Prix races. My head boggles. And here's something else If you want to have a shot at even being a Formula One driver someday, you got to move to Europe, and probably a kid, because if you're a teenager, it's probably too late for you. Would you believe and this kills me talent scouts representing Mercedes and I'm talking Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari that Ferrari are tracking drivers as young as six years old Looking for talent? Six, six I was playing with cars in the dirt at six years old. This just I have no words. This blows my mind.
Speaker 2:And they talk about the ridiculous amount of money Each of the boys' parents and sponsors have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in their careers. This is so serious that both Julian and Alessandro have stopped attending school full-time to focus on racing. Is that really wise? They're 11 and 12. They were too light for the carts and mechanics added weights to keep the chassis from flipping them over. That's crazy, it is nuts. And they're serious. They are serious.
Speaker 2:This is a sport, a subsport, that is dominated by parents with deep pockets, really deep pockets. You can't even get into this sport unless you have the money to do it, and that is kind of a problem that Formula One is trying to grapple with. Are we only seeing the kids? That are okay, but we're seeing them because their parents have the money to put them out in front of us. How do we find genuine talent that may not have the money but have the talent. That is a problem. That is a problem. Here's something that is really crazy too. They talked about how aggressive these young men are at racing, and then the article says, and I quote but the chances that both boys will make it to Formula One are almost zero. Did I mention hundreds of thousands of dollars? And I don't mean one or two years, at least three to four years. By the time this article was written, these boys have been competing at that level.
Speaker 3:Here's something else I didn't know.
Speaker 2:You've got not just Formula One, which most people are knowledgeable about, but there's an F2, an F3, and an F4. From where these boys go, the next step is at the teen level to where it would cost $10,000 a race. Formula One as an organization doesn't have like kind of a farm team or a minor league or a secondary competition for these guys. There are some teams that are into driver development where they have some opportunities. Let me give an example. A team that both of these kids are on is called Baby Race, and this is a prestigious team. They supply personal mechanics to each child. This is nuts. Many parents even see sports psychologists for their preteens. A number of baby races 25 drivers are extremely wealthy and extremely average. Okay, I'm looking at these numbers. These numbers are crazy. I'm looking at these numbers. These numbers are crazy.
Speaker 2:Formula One's popularity soared after a hit Netflix series bringing new sponsorship deals with luxury brands and some of the most expensive tickets in sports. The average ticket to the Las Vegas Grand Prix costs $1,600. That is per ticket. Its annual revenue last year grew by 25% to $3.2 billion, but the sports feeder league still operate under a system in which the drivers pay to participate. Driving an F3, which would be these boys' next stop, the next stop after karting costs, and that's, per driver, $1.3 million per year. An F2 season, which would be the next step after that close to F1, would be $2 million. $2 million and they're paying to compete A year.
Speaker 2:If you don't have the budget, it's getting tougher and tougher to make it, says Giovanni Minardi, who runs a management agency that recruits kart drivers, in an interview. And I said earlier, major Formula One teams now have driver academies where karting stars receive some, some financial support, some, but to make it on the academy's radar, parents will still spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and usually much, much more. Crazy Mercedes was scouring the karting tour for 12-year-old drivers, whose success wasn't just a product of the limited resources. I can. Mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz, mercedes-amg the folks who literally define European performance to a point are scouting for 12-year-old drivers to support its Formula One team that they may drive for them someday. That's not. The World Series of Karting Championship in Sarno was therefore a window into the future of Formula One.
Speaker 2:11 and 12-year-old kids Glimpses of kids that might make it. How much love do you have and how deep are your pockets to be able to get your kid into this. Spend that kind of ridiculous money. Even here in the United States I've got a friend of mine whose boys raced when they were kids and they were racing not much more, I mean just around local tracks here and she talked about $100,000 a year. Yikes, the AI data center boom is coming to rural America. Is it ready? We are the Tech Mobility Show. To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm 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 of the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow. You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow.
Speaker 4:You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow.
Speaker 2:Did you know that Tech Mobility has a 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.
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Speaker 2:AONmeetingscom, where innovation meets connection. Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate. 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:Rural America, long regarded by the well-heeled on the coast as flyover country Sections, are dirt, poor and losing population as soon as they can graduate and move away for better jobs and more opportunity. And it seems that perhaps the pendulum might be swinging the other way, as the need for cheap land and bountiful electricity are bringing big data to these long-forgotten parts of America. Can AI data centers actually be the answer? This is Topic C. I don't even know where to begin, so I will begin what happened here in Des Moines, because we have experienced this. We've experienced this both with Facebook and with Microsoft, where they came in at different parts of our community, spent crazy, stupid money to build data centers, so much so that the local utility actually built facilities near or on their location. In both cases, microsoft built south and west of the city, while Google built north and east of the city, and right now I would argue that Google's investment is probably oh my, if it's $4 or $5 billion. It started with one building, they've got four and they are huge. Problem is they probably only employ once the construction build-out happened, which employed a lot of people. You're probably only looking at maybe 50 or 60 people actually employed in all that space. So, and not to mention, each municipality gave them stupid, crazy tax abatement. So what did we gain? Is the big question. What did we gain? They're not paying taxes into the system. There's not a big enough population coming to work there that would actually put money into the environment or the economy around the centers. So is it really a good deal?
Speaker 2:We talked about at length how AI, at least how big data, is approaching. Ai is requiring these ginormous data centers with this incredible thirst for electricity. Forget the fact that DeepSeek just upended all of that. Forget the fact that DeepSeek just upended all of that. And I'm concerned about even as these companies still look at these mega projects? Will they become white elephants in the middle of nowhere as the technology leapfrogs them and then makes these buildings obsolete? What about the infrastructure that the utilities and the cities, towns and states build to support them? Who pays the bill if these folks decide to close the center? Who's going to pay for the added transmission lines, the added plant that will be built to meet the electric demand? If these guys close and the electrical demand is no longer there, will this fall disproportionately on the rate payers? Give you an example Right now Meta is looking at a part of Louisiana called Holly Ridge.
Speaker 2:They bought 2,700 acres of farmland to build its largest data center ever, on flat rice fields 45 minutes west of the Mississippi River. 4 million square feet, 70 football fields. Meta's data center will cost $10 billion and sit on more acreage than Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, which has more than 34,000 students. Building the advanced artificial intelligence systems will take city-sized amounts of power, which has turbocharged the electricity demand projections for the first time in this century. To meet the demands of that project, e-energy's Louisiana business tends to spend $3.2 billion to build three natural gas-fired power plants, tapping the state's vast gas resources. If approved by state regulators, two plants will be built near the mega site, which is already crossed by transmission lines and a gas pipeline.
Speaker 2:Here's my question the way this works, particularly in regulated utilities, of which I used to work for one. In order to justify building these plants, they have to build a rate base, they have to build a case return of investment, all of this stuff that the utility board has to prove it's based on projections of electrical need over the plant's 30 to 40 year lifespan. Meta is only guaranteed to buy power for 15 years. Guaranteed to buy power for 15 years. What happens if, in year 10, the impact of deep seek hits like a freight train and all this power, all this need, is no longer necessary? Something that big can you repurpose it, don't know Doesn't lend itself to building an auto assembly plant, because building data centers is a very different proposition with very different needs, and it would be limited to what you could repurpose it for for a company, because of how it's built and how the land will be used and laid out.
Speaker 2:What if, in year 16, these three plants are now no longer needed, that the power demands are going back to somewhat near where it was before they even built them? Who pays for all that construction now that the electrical need is no longer there, typically the ratepayers through higher rates because they're out there now and the utility board approved it and guaranteed the utility a rate of return. That's how the utility is able to raise money and make money. They have to show a rate of return that makes sense and the only way that makes sense is they are projecting that. We build these plants and either we're selling all the electricity to Meta or most of it. What happens if there's no need for that plan? They still got to recoup their investment. They got it approved from the board. It means rates are going up, and going up a lot, because the infrastructure just doesn't go away, because Meta decides that you know, in year 16, we don't need anything this size.
Speaker 2:So if you are a utility, if you are a resident where you're looking at the potential of this, being a good neighbor and maybe good for your struggling business in this little town, you got to ask yourself life's going to be good for the 5,000 construction workers over the probably two to three years it will take to build it? What happens when the plant comes online? Well, it won't employ 5,000 people. It may employ 250, and that would be a lot. But as big as this is probably that because most of it's automated. Most of it's automated and we'll get more automated in order to get costs in line. But Amazon's been known to cancel plans to build warehouses. No doubt that Meta might get in the same situation, because the tech that they're basing it on is changing in real time Even as they are approving these projects. The tech is changing.
Speaker 2:If I was Louisiana and other places where big data is coming to little towns, I would be asking those hard questions how is DeepSeek impacting your business plan and what happens if it makes what you're doing right now in our town obsolete? How are we protected? What are we going to do? How are you going to make us whole, for us spreading all this money, taking all this risk for you? We can't afford to be on the hook for it. We can't afford to pay for it if you're not here. Big questions, but this is where we're going. This is where we're going and it is a big deal and we've reported on it. The question is where are we going to be when we get to where we're going? We've come to the end of our visit. Be sure to join me again right here next time.
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Speaker 2: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, 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. 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 of the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow. You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow.
Speaker 2: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.
