Electric Vehicles (EVs) continue to develop at a rapid pace. Tesla drives the development of their vehicles as if they were computer programs – frequent upgrades even between major design changes. At Toole’s Garage in San Carlos we continue to expand our digital diagnostic capability in anticipation of new entrants into the EV market.
As a matter of fact, a market research company named Fact.MR announced that in their estimation sedans are the best fit for electric solar power vehicles. They are more aerodynamic, and much lighter than either SUVs or pickup trucks. While no major car manufacturer announced a solar powered car, there are startups that are raising money (tens of millions of dollars) and building solar power prototypes.
Speaking of money, according to Realtor.com, homes near public EV charging stations command higher prices. There are roughly 45,000 EV charging stations in the US. On Average, a typical charging station has just over 2 charging outlets, so overall there are about 110,000 charging outlets. We are still early in the game – compare this to gas stations – United States has roughly 110,000 gas stations with well over 500,000 gas pumps, and pumping gas takes 5 minutes, while recharging an EV can easily take 20 min at a Tesla Supercharger station, which are not nearly as numerous as regular EV charging stations –so it will be a while before you can charge up your EV with the same ease as a gasoline vehicle.
Speaking of Tesla, according to LendingTree, Tesla owners took out the longest term automotive loans, on average 67.1 months. In the meantime, Elon Musk recently tweeted about driving around Texas Gigafactory in his Tesla Cybertruck.
At Toole’s Garage in San Carlos we are big fans of electric vehicles, but until you get your EV, bring your current vehicle to us for an oil change. Regular oil changes extend engine life, and improve overall performance of your vehicle. We also perform a complimentary digital vehicle inspection and will send you electronic copy of the results. Call us at the shop to make an appointment – we are happy to be of service.
Toole's Garage in California highlights the warning signs of a failing water pump before it leads to engine overheating.
Seeing that little engine-shaped icon glow on your dashboard can be unsettling. We get it—your car seems fine, maybe even drives “just the same,” but the warning light won’t quit. Here in Stockton, where our vehicles face dust, variable traffic, and stop-and-go commutes, we’ve seen plenty of drivers shrug off the illuminated warning. In this article we’ll demystify the “Check Engine” light (CEL) , explain some of the most common causes, why ignoring it can cost you more than you expect, and why scheduling a diagnostic sooner is the smart move.
Toole’s Garage in California explains why a flickering battery light may indicate charging issues and provides guidance on how to address them.