July 21: The numbers game

Plugged it in at 6:30 a.m. Rates are still low til 9:00 a.m. Ran a six-mile errand twice. After the first one I plugged it back in, using the more expensive electricity, and topped it off. Left it plugged in until I left on 49-mile trip, which I took at 75 mph with the a/c and audio on. This was extravagant and it ate up 14 kWh. I had thought I'd be able to recharge halfway through my trip but no dice. I am waiting until after 9 p.m. to plug it in.

I weighed it today on fancy electronic scales. It weighs 2,497 pounds, 1,142 front, 1,355 rear. That's pretty light, especially with the batteries. The Jetta I drove yesterday is around 3,000 pounds, or a little more.

Also looked at it on a lift. Front suspension is MacPherson strut. Rear is a DeDion axle. The electric motor is up under the rear end. The batteries are in the middle. It's rear drive.

By Mark Vaughn