​You’ve probably heard the chatter around electric vehicles. Good, bad, or otherwise…
everybody seems to be talking about them these days. It’s a new technology that promises to
change the way we live and think about transportation. For the early adopters, EVs have been a way to save money, “go green”, and not worry about the hassle of constant vehicle
maintenance.

While those are great reasons to consider an electric vehicle, Zack Hurst with EV Resource
says there’s a reason that most people overlook, and it’s the very reason he started the Electric Vehicle Fall Festival.

“I’m a car guy at heart. I just want to go fast and have fun, and that’s why the Electric Vehicle
Fall Festival exists.” Hurst said, “I can’t think of a better way to have fun in a car than driving
around a racetrack.”

Taking place September 18th from 10am-5pm, the EV owner supported Electric Vehicle Fall
Festival returns to Dominion Raceway to give EV owners and non-owners alike the opportunity to have the most fun with these cars in a safe and legal environment.

Members of the public who haven't made the shift to being an EV owner yet will experience a
variety of different EV makes and models. These attendees will be able to take rides around the track in owner-provided vehicles, and speak with our many vendors and EV owners to get a more rounded understanding of EV ownership. The goal is simple, affect change in the mind
and encourage EV adoption to those who haven't made the shift.
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EV owners who attend the EV Fall Fest will have a different experience. For these VIPs they will have the opportunity to enter their EV in a car show judged by members of the public, drive at speed around the DR 2-mile Road Course, and launch down the 1/8th mile drag strip. For EV owners, we want a day packed with the thrill and excitement of EV performance. EV owners will also be encouraged to sign up to be an EV Ambassador and share their experience of EV ownership with non-owner attendees.

Attractions:

• EV Education Zone
• Track Rides
• eMobility Zone
• EV Car Show
• 2mi Road Course
• 1/8mi Drag Strip

“If you’re curious about EVs, haven’t experienced an EV yet, or are a long-time owner, we’re
going to have something for everyone.” Hurst continued, “What we want more than anything is
for the people who attend to leave with a smile on their face that is hard to wipe off… and I’m
pretty sure that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”
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General Admission for the event is just $15, with separate pricing for track activities. For tickets and more information go to ElectricVehicleFest.com

When the lights go out, what do most people do? Probably suffer miserably, OR figure out some way to keep the power on. This naturally requires some sort of power backup; either a generator that burns diesel or propane, or a large battery pack. In the case of this video shared by the Technically Jeff YouTube channel, he is using a large battery pack... from his Kia EV6. 

Granted, even if you have an EV sitting in the driveway that doesn't mean you can simply plug it into the house and keep the lights on. As Jeff explains, he was able to purchase a Nature's Generator Power Transfer Kit that will allow him to disconnect grid power (to prevent his Kia EV6 from powering the neighborhood or cause potential harm to line workers), and run household appliances off of the power from his car. Not every EV has bi-directional capability, as he explains, but vehicles on the E-GMP platform from Hyundai Motor Group, and a few others (ie. Ford Lighting, etc.) as well have built in capability to power other things... including your home!

What do you think? Is this something that we will be seeing more of in the future?

While DC Fast Charging may seem like an easy, already established solution to the problem for those who cannot charge overnight, there are a number of problems with this method.

First, let's not forget that modern EV batteries prefer to be charged (and discharged) at a slow rate. Fast charging on a regular basis has been shown to cause excessive and sometimes premature degradation of the battery pack and should generally be avoided. Additionally, owners have to go out of their way to find chargers (which may not be near their work or home) and spend potentially as much as an hour of their time waiting for the car to charge, assuming they find a charger that is operational and not waiting on repairs. Not to mention that this method of charging is by far the most expensive option available to owners.

​Additionally, these stations are extremely expensive to install and maintain, so adopting this method of charging EVs is not something that will be as common as other options. DCFC is definitely not the ideal solution, even though it is one that works for some EV owners currently. However, as EV adoption increases at a much faster rate than the charging infrastructure is being built, waiting in lines at DCFC stations will become more commonplace. As a long-term solution, DCFC is out. ​

In a SEC filing on Thursday, Arcimoto announced that as of August 5th, 2022, Mark Frohnmayer would be departing from the role of CEO and instead transition from the role to a new position as Chief Vision Officer. Frohnmayer has been leading Arcimoto since the beginning in late 2007.

Also on August 5th, Jesse Fittipaldi, formerly Arcimoto’s Chief Strategy Officer, was appointed as interim CEO. Mr. Fittipaldi jointed the company in May of 2015 as the company’s business development lead and had also taken time as the vice-president of the company.
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“It’s an honor to lead this amazing organization, and I believe Arcimoto has the team in place to effectively lead the way in the manufacturing of rightsized EVs,” said Fittipaldi in a press release by the company. “We endeavor to continue the vision set forth by our founder Mark Frohnmayer, who built Arcimoto from the ground up, starting with a napkin sketch and a dream to build the right tool for the job of daily driving. I will do my best to enable the entire team to fulfill its desire to make a difference in the world.”

As Chief Vision Officer, Frohnmayer will turn his attention to long-term strategic initiatives and key technology development programs for the company. He will also continue in his role as Chairman of the Board.

“The top-notch management team Arcimoto has assembled, including seasoned veterans we have cultivated within for many years, as well as the serious rockstar talent we’ve recently brought on board, has allowed me to focus directly on what I do best: articulating the long-term vision of the company through key partnerships and future product and technology initiatives,” said Frohnmayer. “I couldn’t be more thrilled that Jesse Fittipaldi, who has been helping me build the company hand-in-hand these last seven years, from a team of five to more than 300, is now stepping up to take on the daily leadership of Arcimoto’s plan to bring clean mobility solutions to the world.”​