Thomas Ricker

Deputy Editor

Thomas RickerJul 26, 2023

Official Twitter account deactivated, redirects to X.

“This account is no longer active,” reads the @twitter account bio, which is now protected. “Follow @x.”

How long before twitter.com redirects to x.com?

Bye, bye birdie

[Twitter]

EU passes law to blanket highways with fast EV chargers by end of 2025

Thomas RickerJul 25, 2023

Fast EV chargers every 60km (37mi) on European highways.

The new law just approved by the EU Council requires 150kW (minimum) chargers to be placed along major TEN-T highways “from 2025 onward.” Payment must support cards or contactless devices and without any subscriptions, and operators must clearly communicate pricing and availability.

The EU corridor TEN-T network.

Image: EU

Thomas RickerJul 21, 2023

Threads usage continues to fall.

The WSJ says that daily active users declined 70 percent to 13 million from its peak (Sensor Tower) and average time users spent in apps decreased to four minutes from 19 minutes (SimilarWeb). Meanwhile, Twitter’s daily active users are unchanged at about 200 million and spend an average of 30 minutes a day on Musk’s not-really-free speech hobby (Sensor Tower).

Hey Zuck, how about that feed of just people we follow?

The saddest of threads.

Image: WSJ

Thomas RickerJul 21, 2023

Britney Spears and will.i.am drop new single.

How long until he becomes will.i.am.ai, bitch?

Cowboy insists it’s not the next VanMoof as it raises prices to ‘stay healthy’

After launching cheaper chain-driven configurations, Cowboy CEO Adrien Roose explains why his e-bike company won’t meet the same fate, despite all the similarities.

Thomas RickerJul 21, 2023

Thomas RickerJul 20, 2023

This Winnebago x EcoFlow campervan can last for days off grid.

The new Solis Pocket 36B comes standard with an EcoFlow PowerKit I reviewed last year. It starts with a 5kWh battery that can be expandable to 15kWh, which is a ton of LFP storage capacity for a van. It’s available to buy in the US and Canada from August.

Or maybe wait for Winnebago’s production version of the all-electric eRV2. Decisions, decisions.

<em>“Enables up to three days of boondocking” from a single 5kWh configuration “in favorable weather conditions.”</em>

<em>Shame they couldn’t integrate all the van’s functions into EcoFlow’s big console display.</em>

<em>A closer look at EcoFlow’s console display.</em>

<em>The Power Kit components are installed under the dinette seat. But there’s only room for one 5kWh battery here. </em>

<em>EcoFlow’s ecosystem of solar generators can further extend off-grid usage.</em>

<em>Power the van (and charge its batteries) from a generator or shore power when back to civilization.</em>

<em>Removable toilet and on-board gas.</em>

<em>Hob is still gas-powered, not electric.</em>

<em>5kWh battery can run the air conditioner (A/C) for up to five hours. </em>

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“Enables up to three days of boondocking” from a single 5kWh configuration “in favorable weather conditions.”

Image: Winnebago / EcoFlow

Thomas RickerJul 19, 2023

VW’s ID Buzz gets the Ventje camper treatment.

The transformable Ventje interior I reviewed last summer is now available in Europe on Volkswagen’s all-electric ID Buzz that I reviewed a few months ago. The eVentje sleeps four and prices start at €95,000 for the Microbuzz plus interior. Delivery takes about nine months, which is a lot sooner than VW will release an official ID California campervan.