Back at the start of October, Nikki dropped by the headquarters of HMP Bikes in San Francisco to swap out her HMP Lightning MK II's removable battery, after it decided to play Possum. Replacing it with a known-good pack, she was able to take her bike - Dianmu - out for a few trips.

But just two days after making a trip, she came out to find her bike's battery doing exactly the same thing as the first: powering on the bike, but with the BMS refusing to play ball. And without a functioning BMS, Nikki's bike was effectively dead in the water.

Reaching back out to HMP Bikes, she thinks she has the fault tracked down: a faulty BMS board that's already been redesigned and is winging its way to her. Ordinarily, a replacement like that would be something for the technicians to do - but Nikki's been given special permission to open her battery up using safe battery handling techniques - just to see if there's anything awry she can spot.

In today's video, join Nikki as she opens up the battery, measures the cell voltages - and makes a very important mistake that proves why you should always double-check your readings (and your logic) when reverse-engineering or carrying out DIY repair.

The replacement boards are on the way to us - so keep your eyes peeled for part 2!

Full shownotes, links, and transcript at: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/11/10/hmp-lightning-mk-ii-whats-wrong-with-dianmus-battery/

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 01:58 - Symptoms 06:01 - Letting HMP know - and getting permission to open it up 08:08 - Checking the Voltage 10:29 - Opening up the battery 13:20 - Testing the fuse and cell voltages 15:12 - Trust - But Verify! 20:13 - Thanks, and goodbye!

📺 More from our HMP Lightning Mk II: ▶️ Possum Battery: Our HMP Lightning MK II Played Dead. Here's Our Fix - https://youtu.be/Axhm4FkG0Ck ▶️ 500 Miles In - Our HMP Lightning Mk II Is Proving Itself Very Useful! - https://youtu.be/LoVm8yvbecc ▶️ Nikki's Got ANOTHER Lightning — Meet the HMP Electric Motorcycle - https://youtu.be/T-QmgS7GtMo

🔗 Links 🔗 HMP Bikes - https://www.hmpbikes.com 🔗 The HMP Lightning MK II - https://www.hmpbikes.com/products/lightning-mkii-electric-motorcycle

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Camera, Editor, Color: Vi Horton Thumbnail: Erin Carlie Music: "Love Letters" by warmkeys., via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io Music: "Peer Gynt - In the Hall of the Mountain King" (Edvard Grieg) by Kashido, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io Music: "Got It" (Instrumental Version) by VESHZA, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/got-it-instrumental-version/11284

The Ford F-150 Lightning has great headlights, but it has no fog lights, and here in the foothills of Oregon's Coast Range, fog is a fact of life for half the year.

Back in March, in Part 1, Nikki fitted a Ford headlight switch with front and rear fog buttons. Now, in Part 2, armed with a pair of used Diode Dynamics SSC2 Pro fog lights and some pages from Ford's wiring manual, she takes Ortegas apart to find out whether the truck's Body Control Module can actually drive them.

As is often the case with any project, this took a little longer than the day-project we'd set aside (one of the reasons Nikki was procrastinating on it for so long) - but after a failed attempt to pin the BCM plugs needed to bring the fog light control wiring out to a usable place (and some overnighted new pins) - things are looking pretty good.

The rear fog light circuit, which everyone said the North American F-150 simply doesn't have, works (although the telltale doesn't, and we don't know why). And while we initially hit a road block with the front fogs, an 11th-hour flip in FORScan seems to have fixed things... but that's for the NEXT video.

Full shownotes, links, and transcript at: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/11/05/front-and-rear-fog-lights-on-our-f-150-lightning-its-possible/

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 01:34 - Fog lights... why we want them 03:09 - The Lightning doesn't have fog light space 04:15 - The used fog lights 05:18 - Where we're putting them and how they're going to work 08:33 - Printing off the pages 11:32 - The Plan 15:35 - A little break...and making a loom 18:35 - Yeah… that didn't work… 19:20 - Or did it? 22:15 - Despite the headaches, it's a positive outcome 24:57 - Thanks, and goodbye!

📺 More from Ortegas, our F-150 Lightning: ▶️ The F150 Lightning Doesn't Have Fog Lights. We're Going To Add Them (Part 1) - https://youtu.be/hwPNv4bagZM ▶️ Time For A FORScan Dash Upgrade on Our Ford F-150 Lightning — Until One Thing Almost Ruined It - https://youtu.be/qGiqqpigsBA ▶️ Slay Or Nay? Meet Our Light-Up F150 Lightning Emblem! - https://youtu.be/K4AXVjxkxdo ▶️ We Built a Custom PCB With PCBWay To Make Our Tonneau Cover Smarter - https://youtu.be/zPcvvDJC8mk

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Camera, Editor, Color: Vi Horton Thumbnail: Erin Carlie Music: "Grateful" by Kitrano, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io Music: "Got It" (Instrumental Version) by VESHZA, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/got-it-instrumental-version/11284

Right now, the Volkswagen Group is recalling around 100,000 electric cars worldwide across Volkswagen, Cupra and Audi, all for battery cells that, in rare cases, can overheat and catch fire. And if that sounds familiar, it should: from the Hyundai Kona Electric and Chevrolet Bolt EV to the Jaguar I-Pace, Porsche Taycan and Mercedes-Benz EQB, cell-level manufacturing defects have been behind some of the most expensive recalls the EV world has seen.

So in today's video, Nikki asks a simple question: why are we still seeing battery recalls? From clean rooms and bunny suits to the tiny flaws that can take years to come to light, and how few companies make the cells (and the machines that make them), she explains why making a battery is so hard, why one bad batch can show up in several brands at once, and why things are slowly getting better.

Full shownotes, links, and script at: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/11/03/why-are-we-still-seeing-battery-recalls/

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 02:27 - Not a specialist... 03:07 - The recalls right now - and some history 04:53 - How most recall campaigns went 06:21 - A reminder: some safety statistics 06:53 - Volkswagen's recall - what we know (and don't) 07:40 - Why we're still seeing recalls 08:29 - Making a battery is hard 13:24 - Small supply chains, big problems when things go wrong 15:00 - The machines that make EV batteries 16:21 - Errors can take a long time to notice 17:46 - New rules and battery passports could help 18:19 - Engines are easy in comparison 19:44 - The rest of the auto industry has its own supply issues 21:03 - Disassembly is a one-way process 21:30 - X-ray imaging is starting to help 22:10 - Things are improving 24:41 - Thanks, and goodbye!

📺 Our earlier videos on EV batteries and recalls: ▶️ Just Why Are Electric Car Batteries So Hard To Produce (And Diagnose)? - https://youtu.be/Fcb-lupUAlA ▶️ What's Causing All These Electric Car Battery Failures? - https://youtu.be/_NqQt-1W6Y8 ▶️ TEN 600 | iX3 In High Demand, EVs Go Further, The Little Trains That Could! (Fraunhofer's automated X-ray checks for EV batteries) - https://youtu.be/9XZqkg_nAHU ▶️ TEN 604 | Mach-E Trail, VW's Battery Recall, PHEVs Still Lying! - https://youtu.be/mc9XkLGWYYM

🔗 Links 🔗 Benjamin Nelson: Ford Ranger EV Walk Around Tour and Overview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgHhlKdHym8 🔗 Darell Dickey (EVnut): EV1 - Driving it the final week before the crusher - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LE062OfrN4 🔗 Science Buddies: Potato Battery Science Project - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWIzEp2FZJE 🔗 NHTSA recall 26V630: Volkswagen ID.4 (MY2023–26, 22,524 vehicles) - https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=26V630 🔗 NHTSA recall 26V698: Audi Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron (MY2024–25, 9,048 vehicles) - https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=26V698 🔗 KBA (Germany’s vehicle authority) recall database: search reference 17137R (VW ID.3, ID.4, ID.7, ID. Buzz), 17101R and 17103R (further VW ID. models and Cupra Born), 17222R (Audi Q4 e-tron) - https://www.kba.de/EN/Themen_en/Marktueberwachung_en/Rueckrufe_en/Rueckrufdatenbank_en/rueckrufdatenbank_node_en.html 🔗 VW and Cupra's European battery recall: 72,700 EVs (electrive) - https://www.electrive.com/2026/10/21/vws-battery-recall-affects-72700-evs-including-10000-in-germany/ 🔗 Audi joins: VW Group's EV battery recall passes 85,000 (Electrek) - https://electrek.co/2026/10/28/volkswagens-ev-battery-recall-reaches-over-85000-with-audi/

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Camera, Editor, Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation: Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: "Got It" (Instrumental Version) by VESHZA, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/got-it-instrumental-version/11284

Disclaimer - comma.ai provided the comma four in this video free of charge for us to evaluate (they also sent a second unit, for our F-150 Lightning, which we'll cover in a future video). They had no editorial input, and we're not being paid for this review. YouTube labels this video "Sponsored" because FTC rules require us to disclose the material connection — no money changed hands. The comma link below is a tracking link only — we earn nothing if you buy.

comma four, openpilot and StarPilot are driver-assistance systems, not self-driving: you must stay alert, hands ready, and responsible for the car at all times. Our 2017 Bolt EV isn't on comma's official car list — it runs comma four through a third-party pedal interceptor and StarPilot, an approved community fork of openpilot.

Back in 2023, Nikki installed a comma three in Orion, her wife's 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, as part of a series asking whether an older EV can be made to feel new again with modern features. Three years on, Orion is nearly ten years old and still a daily driver, and the community-built StarPilot fork of openpilot has gone from decent lane keeping to rock-solid steering on the twisty roads near home.

Now comma has sent Transport Evolved its new comma four to evaluate. It's much smaller than the comma three and 3X, with a redesigned circuit board and a big fan to keep it cool. So what's actually changed, what does it cost, and is it worth upgrading from a comma three? Nikki unboxes it, compares the two, then takes Orion out on the road with the brand-new, freshly rebased StarPilot 7.0.

Full shownotes, links, and transcript at: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/10/29/we-upgrade-our-comma-3-to-a-comma-4-is-it-worth-it/

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 02:15 - Disclaimer 03:26 - History of comma 05:15 - First, the old unit (comma three) 06:24 - Unboxing 07:33 - Vehicle support 08:25 - comma four is much smaller 10:31 - Nikki's version of the Taco Bell Run 11:21 - Activating comma / StarPilot 15:07 - A note on StarPilot's rebase 15:56 - Installation process 18:09 - Steering feedback 18:37 - The return route - and what Nikki's noticed from comma four 21:33 - How the comma system and openpilot have improved 23:58 - eGPU and chestnut 25:48 - Should you upgrade? 27:28 - Closing thoughts 31:49 - Thanks, and goodbye!

🚗 Our earlier comma videos: ▶️ Why Comma.ai Is Different To Every Other Autonomous Vehicle Startup Out There (our visit to comma HQ, Dec 2021) - https://youtu.be/uCeIl3JWAGk ▶️ Comma 3 Review - The Near Self Driving Add-on Gets Upgraded (Oct 2022) - https://youtu.be/XeYaqHlGM9o

🔗 Links 🔗 comma four (comma.ai) - https://comma.ai/?utm_source=transportevolved&utm_medium=creator&utm_campaign=marketing&utm_content=youtube 🔗 StarPilot (community openpilot fork) - https://github.com/firestar5683/StarPilot

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Presenter: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Camera: Vi Horton Editing & Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation: Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: "Window" by Phury, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io Music: "Got It" (Instrumental Version) by VESHZA, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/got-it-instrumental-version/11284

CORRECTION: In this video, Nikki says the 2027 Bolt EV is built at GM's Fairfax plant in Virginia. It's actually built at GM's Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas. Nikki knows this, but had a brain fart. She's sorry!

Disclaimer - Transport Evolved borrowed this 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV RS from General Motors' (Chevrolet) press fleet for one week in order to bring you this first-person review. No money exchanged hands for the review itself, and no editorial control was given or implied. GM sees this review the same time it goes live.

Nikki has owned a Chevrolet Bolt EV in one form or another since 2017 - first a brand-new Bolt LT, then a used Bolt EV Premier - and it's been one of her favorite cars ever since. So when GM brought the Bolt back for 2027, she was excited. Her first drives, around a movie backlot and then on GM's own test routes in California, suggested the spirit of the original was alive and well.

Now she's had a 2027 Bolt EV RS for a week on roads she knows far better: the daily commute around Portland, Oregon, Super Cruise in rush hour traffic, and the twisties of Skyline Boulevard. With a new LFP battery pack, the Equinox EV's motor, a heat pump, Google built-in in place of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a body borrowed from the Bolt EUV, it's familiar - but is it still the comfy pair of shoes it used to be? Or has GM tweaked the mould just enough for something to feel off?

Full shownotes, links, and transcript at: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/10/27/2027-chevrolet-bolt-ev-is-it-like-a-pair-of-comfy-shoes/

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 02:38 - Montage 04:09 - Nikki loved the original Bolt 06:17 - Our previous time with the 2027 Bolt EV 07:07 - First glance: a lot of familiarity 07:59 - Centre console and infotainment 09:34 - Mimicking a daily commute 10:29 - Seat comfort 10:55 - Visibility 11:53 - Is it "really" a Bolt EV? 12:52 - A new motor 14:11 - Final drive gear ratio changes 14:48 - Sprint time? Inconclusive 15:17 - Battery pack 16:39 - Cold weather performance 18:55 - Super Cruise 20:37 - Drive modes 23:20 - Regenerative braking 26:52 - Loving the twisties 30:53 - Less torque steer (thankfully!) 31:55 - Inside space and storage 34:26 - Some styling to call out 37:01 - Does it feel familiar? 38:33 - Audio demonstration 39:53 - In-cabin and motor sound 40:23 - Conclusion 46:06 - Thanks, and goodbye!

🚗 Our earlier 2027 Bolt EV videos: ▶️ The Chevrolet Bolt Is BACK by Popular Demand – And It Can Power Your HOME! (the reveal, Oct 2025) - https://youtu.be/ZJVfHuwoVjw ▶️ The Chevrolet Bolt EV Is Back - And You'll Want To Drive It! (first drive, Mar 2026) - https://youtu.be/wkgzZtAOzgM

🔗 Links 🔗 Grand Central Bakery (Nikki’s favorite bakery) - https://www.grandcentralbakery.com

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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✊ Get Involved 🗳️ https://indivisible.org/town-hall-resources ❤️ Support the Show 📰 https://www.transportevolved.com 🔥 https://www.patreon.com/transportevolved ☕ https://ko-fi.com/transportevolved 📺 https://www.youtube.com/transportevolved 👕 https://www.redbubble.com/people/TransportEVd/ 🛍️ https://amzn.to/40xOyjm ₿ BC1QRZRGCCXUKPDZ2DZ9KX9JYJXMZDYHYGFZ0MN4WH

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🎙️ Credits:

Presenter: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Camera: Vi Horton, Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Editing & Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation: Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: "Shifting" by Sun Wash, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io Music: "Madrigal" by Jessie Reid, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io Music: "Penance" by warmkeys., via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io Music: "Like the Old Days" by warmkeys, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io Music: "Got It" (Instrumental Version) by VESHZA, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/got-it-instrumental-version/11284

In two weeks' time, Americans head to the polls in the 2026 midterms. And this election cycle, no known donor has spent more trying to sway the result than Elon Musk: more than $366 million so far, all of it helping Republicans win.

In today's (very political) video, Nikki explains how the man who once thought EVs could save the world went from Tesla CEO to DOGE, to backing the far right in Europe, and to bankrolling the very politicians behind the cuts to EV charging and clean energy. Because every time you buy into a Musk company, you're helping to fund them. Whether you're a U.S. voter or an EV buyer anywhere in the world, it's time to stop holding your nose, and to vote with your ballot and your wallet.

Full shownotes, links, and script at: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/10/20/musk-helped-evs-now-hes-helping-attack-democracy/

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 04:17 - An acknowledgement 06:56 - 10 years ago this week... 08:18 - Musk's "Pedo Guy" accusations 09:08 - Musk hires a private eye 10:10 - A nod to Musk's past 10:59 - COVID-19 behavior 12:54 - Transphobia 17:22 - Musk's behavior has an effect 18:40 - Musk's political transition in 2022 20:17 - Musk and the 2024 election campaign 21:44 - DOGE 23:43 - An antithesis to a cleaner, greener future 25:42 - A serial record 27:42 - Grok and X 28:58 - Ukraine and SpaceX 29:43 - Environmental damage 32:12 - Political donations 32:53 - Why $366 million is chump change 33:48 - The cold hard truth - support of Musk supports this future 34:53 - Finding alternatives 36:21 - Don't hold your nose 36:53 - A note to those voting in the U.S. 38:58 - Thanks, and goodbye!

📺 Our earlier videos on Elon Musk: ▶️ Want To Avoid Buying An EV That's Connected To Elon Musk? Buy These Instead - https://youtu.be/4NWmMnyMuOk ▶️ Elon Musk Is Supporting A Trump / Vance Candidacy - He's Changed... A LOT. And That's BAD. - https://youtu.be/6vqeOcebcWw ▶️ Elon Musk is Attempting A Coup - Why Are EV Insiders and Journalists Ignoring It? - https://youtu.be/0G1qXOPhwiY ▶️ Elon Musk, Donald Trump Are Killing EV Charging Funding - What Now? - https://youtu.be/XmfPKUAt92E ▶️ Editorial: What Will It Take? - https://youtu.be/8Mb7rE5KbWU (show notes: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/02/24/editorial-what-will-it-take/) ▶️ Is This The Tesla Model Y For People Who Don't Want To Support Elon Musk? - https://youtu.be/RNpqIIwcwSE (show notes: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/04/21/is-this-the-tesla-model-y-for-people-who-dont-want-to-support-elon-musk/) ▶️ BYD Did What Tesla Never Would. Just Not For The Reasons You'd Hope - https://youtu.be/-xxo5vnRSFo (show notes: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/06/04/byd-did-what-tesla-never-would-just-not-for-the-reasons-youd-hope/)

🔗 Links 🔗 Vote.gov: register, check your registration and find your polling place - https://vote.gov 🔗 Ballotpedia: what's on your ballot - https://ballotpedia.org

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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💬 Join the Conversation 🐘 https://mastodon.transportevolved.com/@show 💬 https://discord.gg/9WAjfQn 💬 https://fluxer.gg/mcj8aehg 🌀 https://bsky.app/profile/transportevolved.bsky.social 🔁 Subscribe to our 2nd channel - https://www.youtube.com/transportevolvedtake2

🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Camera, Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation: Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: "Got It" (Instrumental Version) by VESHZA, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/got-it-instrumental-version/11284

Nikki's spent the last few weeks fighting off a cold. Now that she's finally feeling better, she's been taking her HMP Lightning MK II, Diànmǔ (电母), out on weekly errands and trips. First, though, Diànmǔ's battery pack had to go to HMP Bikes' San Francisco headquarters for a swap, after it suddenly decided to play possum. The pack read a healthy 84.7 V, but its BMS? Dead to the world.

So today, with the sun out, she heads into Portland, does battle with a terribly incompetent AI phone assistant at OpConnect, and has her day saved by the very thing that made the repair so quick and easy: a swappable, removable battery pack.

Full shownotes, links, and transcript at: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/10/15/possum-battery-our-hmp-lightning-mk-ii-played-dead-heres-our-fix/

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 00:57 - What happened? We're not ENTIRELY sure 05:25 - It's been a day of everything going wrong! 06:45 - Nikki baits AI 09:12 - The faff of finding Level 2 charging that works! 12:25 - Nikki got a small chance to check out the Flash 14:19 - Even with the battery failure, it's still incredibly good fun 17:43 - Thanks, and goodbye!

🏍️ Diànmǔ's story so far: ▶️ Nikki's Got ANOTHER Lightning — Meet the HMP Electric Motorcycle - https://peertube.tv/w/bLhDJig5ayxdmeYBsE4yJK ▶️ 500 Miles In – Our HMP Lightning Mk II Is Proving Itself Very Useful! - https://peertube.tv/w/41uGD5bLeJgwRY6Bo3bXoi

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation: Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: "Own It" (Instrumental Version) by ORKAS, Mika Sade & OREL, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/own-it-instrumental-version/6001996 Music: "Got It" (Instrumental Version) by VESHZA, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/got-it-instrumental-version/11284 Video: Chevrolet, Ford, Zero Motorcycles, HMP Bikes Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, openstreetmap.org/copyright

Disclaimer - Pebble covered our hotel costs on the way down to Costanoa and back, provided us with overnight accommodation and meals at Costanoa, and provided hospitality during the 2027 Pebble Flow launch. Transport Evolved paid for its own charging on the trip. No money exchanged hands for the video itself, and no editorial control was given or implied. Pebble sees this video the same time it goes live.

Towing a big travel trailer with an electric truck usually means two things: you feel every pound of it through the hitch, and your range drops by around two-thirds. The 2027 Pebble Flow is designed to change both, with in-wheel motors that push the trailer along as you tow it and a new Boost Mode that adds up to 40 kilowatts of assistive power.

So while we were at Costanoa for the 2027 Pebble Flow launch, we hitched one up to our own Ford F-150 Lightning and went for a drive, with Pebble CTO Stefan Solyom riding shotgun. We tried it with the assist off and on, buried the throttle, watched the efficiency figures climb, and asked Stefan how it works, why it doesn't plug into the tow vehicle, and whether a European version could ever happen.

Honestly? It left us almost speechless.

Full shownotes, links, and transcript at: https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/10/13/we-towed-the-pebble-flow-it-felt-like-nothing-wed-towed-before/

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 00:53 - Towing the Pebble Flow with no assist 02:13 - Weight, wheels and suspension 03:49 - What towing does to EV range 05:03 - Switching on Boost Mode 05:47 - Burying my right foot 06:29 - How Pebble "cheats physics" 06:52 - Crosswinds and aerodynamics 08:47 - How fast does it react? 10:02 - Why not plug into the truck? 11:03 - What size trailer does it feel like? 11:57 - A European Pebble? 12:47 - Parking and charging without the truck 14:06 - Double the efficiency 14:40 - What about gas and diesel trucks? 16:12 - Final thoughts 17:26 - Thanks, and goodbye!

🏕️ Watch first: our night in the Pebble Flow ▶️ The 2027 Pebble Flow: Is This The Future Of Travel Trailers? - https://peertube.tv/w/fWSTWexncuWj4zMGpQCqDo

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Presenter: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Guest: Stefan Solyom, CTO, Pebble Mobility Camera: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield, Kate Gordon-Bloomfield Editing & Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation: Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: "One Sunny Day" by Amos Ever Hadani, via Artlist.io Music: "Got It" (Instrumental Version) by VESHZA, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/got-it-instrumental-version/11284

Disclaimer - Pebble covered our hotel costs on the way down to Costanoa and back, provided us with overnight accommodation in a 2025 Pebble Flow at Costanoa, and provided hospitality during the 2027 Pebble Flow launch. Transport Evolved paid for its own charging on the trip. No money exchanged hands for the video itself, and no editorial control was given or implied. Pebble sees this video the same time it goes live.

More and more EVs come from the factory ready to tow - but hitch up a big, boxy travel trailer and that 300-mile EPA range can slip to 100 miles or less. If the whole point of a camping trip is getting away from it all, stopping every 100 miles to recharge is kind of a buzzkill.

Pebble thinks it has the answer. The Pebble Flow is an all-electric, self-propelled travel trailer with a 45 kWh LFP battery and two motors that help push it along as you tow - plus party tricks like Magic Hitch, remote-control maneuvering, one-touch setup from an iPad, and a NEMA 14-50 outlet that can charge your EV at camp.

Pebble first showed the Flow to the world in late 2023, and the first 2025 model year trailers reached customers in June 2025. Now, after more than 300 running improvements, it's launched the 2027 model year - and invited us down to Costanoa on the California coast to see it. So we spent the night in a 2025 Pebble Flow to find out what it's like to live with, and dug into what's new for 2027: a twin-bed layout, up to 4 kW of solar (thanks to Jackery), a new Boost Mode and Pebble OS 2.

It's certainly impressive. But there's one thing we do need to talk about. That price...

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 01:57 - Disclaimer 02:43 - Why travel trailers can be a headache 04:13 - One-touch setup, and moving under its own power 06:11 - Magic Hitch, and DC fast charging the trailer 08:35 - Towing assist 10:12 - Boondocking, and up to 4 kW of solar 11:41 - 100% electric, and charging your EV from the trailer 13:54 - Water management 15:03 - Inside the 2025 Pebble Flow 18:01 - Beds, and a night's sleep 21:24 - The price 22:44 - What's new for 2027 24:01 - Thanks, and goodbye!

🚗 Filmed on the way down: ▶️ EV Fast Charging Prices Have Soared Since 2022. Here's Why - https://peertube.tv/w/hhBviS4hmVh8XNXfHvD6cM

🔗 Links 🔗 Pebble - https://pebblelife.com 🔗 The 2027 Pebble Flow - https://pebblelife.com/pebble-flow 🔗 Costanoa (California Coastal Camp Resort) - https://costanoa.com

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Presenter: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Camera: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield, Kate Gordon-Bloomfield Editing & Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation: Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: "Heartache" (Instrumental Version) by Amick Cutler, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/heartache-instrumental-version/10141 Music: "Got It" (Instrumental Version) by VESHZA, via Artlist.io - https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/got-it-instrumental-version/11284

We're no strangers to long-distance EV travel on the channel. Over the past 20 years of EV ownership, we've driven the length and breadth of the UK. We've gone coast-to-coast in the U.S., and sometimes, we've even towed.

But one thing we - as many of you - are noticing is that the cost to fast charge is substantially more than it once was. And on our way down to the San Francisco Bay Area to attend a press event, we saw first hand what that looks like.

$41.68 for 100 kWh. On our latest I-5 road trip in the F-150 Lightning, fast charging cost two and a half to three times what a full charge at home does - and Electrify America's price has jumped from 43¢ per kWh in 2022 to as much as 69¢ today.

So today, we're examining why those changes have happened. Yes, electricity is more expensive than it used to be, but hardware upgrades, ground rent, and in the U.S., vanishing incentives are all fighting to make your next long-distance EV trip more expensive.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 01:43 - Leaving Oregon 02:06 - Stop 1: Seven Feathers - $41.68 for 100 kWh 03:58 - Why compare with 2022? 04:36 - Gas prices and home electricity, then and now 05:53 - Electrify America: 43¢ to 69¢ 07:24 - Stop 2: Rivian Adventure Network, Shasta 08:55 - Why is charging getting more expensive? 10:17 - Ground rent 10:46 - Losing NEVI funding 11:51 - IONNA, the dark horse 12:44 - EV vs. EcoBoost: the road trip maths 15:21 - Choice means competition 16:06 - How to save money on a road trip 16:23 - Thanks, and goodbye!

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Camera: Kate Gordon-Bloomfield Editor: Vi Horton Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: "Nobody Got Time for Love" (Instrumental) by Jimit, via Artlist.io Music: "Got It" (Instrumental) by VESHZA, via Artlist.io

Every time Nikki walked up to our F-150 Lightning, the custom board she designed rebooted. She'd accidentally built an antenna - and that wasn't even the whole problem.

Project Mellon is a DIY CAN bus gadget that makes our WOLFBOX SmartSlide powered tonneau cover smarter: it locks the cover while the truck's in gear, unlocks it with the truck, and opens it from the HomeLink visor. In this video: the no-splice custom loom so many of you asked about (built on the trailer brake module's STAC64 connector), a premature victory lap, and the 100 nF capacitor that finally squished the bug.

Should Mellon become a product, an open-source project, or stay a one-off? Tell us in the comments - Nikki can't decide if it's worth it or not!

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 00:59 - A shout out to Little Collie 03:12 - How the loom was made 06:05 - The connector type 07:05 - The inspiration for Project Mellon 08:58 - A reminder as to what Mellon does 14:27 - Tests... and problems... 15:26 - The reboot problem... 18:26 - Nikki is wrong... 21:24 - A demonstration of how the system works 26:10 - Thanks, and goodbye!

💍 Project Mellon: The Fellowship Of The Cover

1. Installing the WOLFBOX SmartSlide powered tonneau cover - https://peertube.tv/w/mE2vPEgfXh9LWwrpmcrtu8
2. Adding WOLFBOX power running boards - and our no-splice loom - https://peertube.tv/w/ngjJYSEfcS7dc2whpycDBy
3. Project Mellon: designing and building our custom PCB - https://peertube.tv/w/8Hjx542XpkVkj4ystCETvj
4. First test in the truck: will Mellon talk to the cover? - https://peertube.tv/w/1Z2eXCP1HZVdP7J3oGTJ6V
5. The new loom, a squished bug and full functionality (you are here!)

Mentioned in this video 🔗 WOLFBOX (SmartSlide tonneau cover, power running boards) - https://gears.wolfbox.com/?ref=TRANSPORTEVOLVED 🔗 Digi-Key (connectors and parts) - https://www.digikey.com 🔗 Espressif ESP32-C6 - https://www.espressif.com/en/products/socs/esp32-c6 🔗 Home Assistant - https://www.home-assistant.io

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com 🔧 PCBWay ($5 off your first order: custom PCBs, metal parts and 3D prints) - https://pcbway.com/g/Z9hxkG

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io

Back in 2010, Transport Evolved was a little live panel show recorded every Sunday from a tiny house just north of Bristol in the UK - just Nikki and Mike Boxwell picking through the week's EV news for an hour. In 2013 came TEN - Transport Evolved News - which was supposed to be a ten-minute news show. (It is not a ten-minute news show.)

Sixteen years later, we've just hit 600 episodes of TEN, and in a couple of videos' time we'll pass 3,000 videos on this channel. So while Nikki recovers from a nasty bout of "not con crud", we went crawling through the archives - right down to the Blu-ray discs burned just before moving to the States - to look back at where we came from.

There's the very first TEN from September 2013, Mark's Marks and a double fried egg, chili and chutney sandwich, a Tesla Model S road trip from Oslo back to the UK, a night on a 1907 sailing ship, Robert Llewellyn, a whole lot of cars you might have forgotten ever existed - and footage that has never aired before.

If you've been with us for any of the past 16 years: thank you. (And maybe get a new hobby.) Here's to 1,000 episodes!

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - From the archives 02:41 - Welcome to the TE studio 04:28 - How Transport Evolved began 07:17 - Into the archives 12:28 - Why we'll never have a paywall 15:44 - More from the archives 20:07 - 600 episodes, 16 years, 3,000 videos 24:28 - Thanks, and goodbye!

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io

Disclaimer: We received the Powerbase65 conversion kit from Martin at Martin Rebuilds in order to help us bring you this first-person installation review as part of a two-part collaboration. In exchange, we'll be sending Martin our Mellon Board when it's completed!

The Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck offers a lot of everyday practical versatility, and even though it's no longer made, owners and enthusiasts are still finding ways of improving on the truck's factory spec.

At this channel, we've made some of our own improvements, and we've got a long list of things we've got planned - including an upfitter harness, functional fog lights, and of course, our in-house designed Mellon Board.

But when it comes to the 12-volt starter battery, we've had a slew of bad luck. Our truck's first battery died. The replacement from Ohmmu didn't work as intended, and the expensive OEM replacement our local dealership fitted after that hasn't fared much better.

Today, we try to fix it once and for all thanks to @MartinRebuilds-fz1ep! Martin has designed a custom battery tray and conversion kit that's just gone on sale for $159.95 (free shipping to the continental US), letting you swap the underpowered H3 battery for a much larger, more readily-available Group 65 battery.

https://martinrebuilds.com/products/f-150-lightning-battery-tray-adapter

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 03:49 - Unboxing the Martin Rebuilds Group 65 Battery Upgrade 05:26 - Removing the old battery 07:10 - We've had several batteries before. 08:01 - Comparing the old and new battery 08:44 - Putting the adapter tray in 09:25 - The Next Day ...Nikki's frustration with Batteries Plus 14:55 - Installing the new Group 65 battery 18:17 - It's in! 19:16 - Pulling down the frunk 21:26 - Programming the BMS 24:06 - Thanks, and Goodbye!

Video Links:

Martin Rebuilds PowerBase65 Adapter: https://martinrebuilds.com/products/f-150-lightning-battery-tray-adapter

Martin Rebuilds YouTube ChanneL https://www.youtube.com/@MartinRebuilds-fz1ep

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://www.littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io

Disclaimer - Transport Evolved received this motorcycle free of charge from HMP Bikes in order to allow us to give you a long-term staff-vehicle review. No money exchanged hands for the review itself, and no editorial control was given or implied. HMP Bikes sees our reviews when you do. Nikki is providing ongoing honest feedback to HMP bikes in addition to producing this series.

[Editorial note]: We called the bike "Leizi" — a name English-language sources give for the Chinese goddess of lightning. She's properly 電母, Diànmǔ, "Mother of Lightning," wife of Leigong, god of thunder. Right goddess, wrong name. Thanks to Peter at HMP for the catch, and we'll be using the proper name (電母, Diànmǔ) in the future!

Back at the tail end of August, we introduced you to our newest vehicle - an HMP Lightning Mk II. It's a highway-capable scooter with an official top speed of 56 mph, a claimed city range of around 62 miles (at 30 mph), and a removable 3.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

Since then, Nikki has been using it as her errand-runner, taken it on some longer-distance trips, and even uses it for the weekly shop. And now, 1-month later, she's managed to hit 500 miles in the saddle. Here's what she's learned, how the bike is faring, what she likes (and doesn't) - and her hope for the next 500 miles!

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 Intro 00:54 What the Lightning MK.II is on paper 02:47 How fast it really goes — and the 20% problem 04:28 Stability and potholes around town 05:30 Mirrors and controls 06:37 The one thing I can't do: drag the brake 08:46 Cornering, lean angles and chicken strips 10:37 Gravel, back roads and the freeway 11:14 Brakes 11:51 Wind buffeting at 55 14:07 What 500 miles actually looked like 16:43 Doing the weekly shop on a scooter 18:33 The gremlin in the brake switch 19:48 What it costs per mile 21:30 Naming the bike 22:24 Safety glasses and the Brake Free 24:07 The verdict after a month 26:22 Thanks, and goodbye!

Links: (Non-Affiliated)

HMP Bikes - https://www.hmpbikes.com

HMP Lightning Series (Including MKII) - https://www.hmpbikes.com/collections/lightning-series

HMP Flash - https://www.hmpbikes.com/collections/flash-series-1

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://www.littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io

It's been a while since we last talked about EV battery health, and in that time a fair bit has changed. Some of the advice we all used to give has been overtaken by real-world fleet data — and with LFP packs turning up in more and more cars, what was good practice for an NCM battery doesn't always hold true any more.

So today we're going deep: how to find out what chemistry your car actually has, why your EV behaves nothing like your phone, what the data really says about fast charging and spirited driving, and the handful of habits that will keep your EV's battery healthy for as long as possible.

• Chapters *:

0:00 Introduction 1:55 Why old battery advice no longer fits 2:43 Not every battery pack behaves the same 3:50 Your EV is not your phone 5:58 NCM — what it is, and its two problems 7:14 Why NCM gets its bad reputation 8:29 EV fires vs gas fires, in context 9:28 LFP — the other main chemistry 10:35 Lead-acid, Ni-Cad and Nickel Metal Hydride 11:48 An honorable nod to sodium ion 12:26 Support us! 13:02 How you charge and how you use your EV 16:12 The packed Tube train analogy 17:19 The 20-85% sweet spot 18:53 Coulomb counting — and when the BMS loses count 19:48 Why a full charge resets things (and what Ford is doing) 21:59 Fast charging: what the data actually says 25:06 Cooling, temperature and the Nissan LEAF lesson 26:38 Thermal management, and why preconditioning matters 27:11 Spirited driving: it's current, not power 30:50 Real-world data keeps beating the lab 32:53 So should you worry about razzing it? 33:27 Chemistry again: NCM vs LFP under load 35:44 Lithium plating and dendrites 36:42 The LFP voltage curve — and why it needs a full charge 38:21 Recommendations 42:28 Sometimes you roll a nat 1 43:30 Thanks, and goodbye!

👥 Channel Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://www.littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io

Back in 2002, Volkswagen unveiled a car that was nothing like anything it had made before. Called the 1-litre car, it promised an ultra-efficient 1 litre per 100 km of fuel consumption, was built with ultra-lightweight materials, and placed the passenger behind the driver.

It morphed into the 2009 L1 - which in turn gave rise to the limited-production XL1 plug-in diesel hybrid.

This week, out of the blue, Volkswagen unveiled the spiritual successor to all of those vehicles: the Volkswagen Mission Efficiency. A concept car built around the same principles, but replacing the plug-in hybrid drivetrain with an all-electric drivetrain out of a production Volkswagen ID. Polo, it not only adds more seating than any of its predecessors could offer - but also manages an astonishing energy efficiency that pushes its range to more than 450 miles per charge of its 55 kilowatt-hour battery pack.

Having experienced the XL1 first hand more than a decade ago, Nikki explains why the original XL1 was such a unique vehicle - and puts forward the case as to why Volkswagen should take the Mission Efficiency out of concept car state, and make it a production vehicle.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 04:14 - Right sized vehicle for right-sized purposes 05:37 - The Mission Efficiency Concept 06:02 - What we're covering 06:22 - The history of the 1-litre concept car 07:43 - The Volkswagen L1 08:05 - The Volkswagen XL1 08:38 - Nikki's own experiences behind the wheel of the XL1 12:20 - Original footage from Nikki's experience in 2013 13:38 - Buying the XL1 14:02 - Support the channel! 14:38 - Mission Efficiency - What it offers 18:09 - Could it ever make it to production? 21:39 - The reality of production today 22:32 - And the Volkswagen board is a problem.. 23:35 - Thanks, and Goodbye!

👥 Channel Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://www.littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io

It's been nearly two weeks since we unveiled project Mellon, Nikki's Lord Of The Rings-inspired custom control board for the WOLFBOX powered tonneau cover.

Built around an ESP32-C6, and a custom board built alongside PCBWay, it connects Nikki's tonneau cover's BLE connection with the built-in HomeLink-compatible visor in her F-150 Lightning. But to date, all her testing has been on the bench.

There's still a lot to do: including a custom harness, and a CAN bus integration. But will her first tests in the truck actually work?

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 — Introduction 00:55 — Meet Mellon: HomeLink history, the WOLFBOX tonneau cover, and CAN bus smarts 04:05 — First truck test: live demo and reverse-engineering the WOLFBOX protocol 09:39 — Smart security: lockouts, phone-as-key, and drive-mode safety 13:38 — Why this matters 14:38 — What's left to do: harness, certification, and OTA safety 17:42 — Thanks and goodbye!

👥 Channel Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://www.littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io

One of the advantages of modern EVs is remote control over charging — checking state of charge, or starting and stopping a session, from wherever you are. And in some markets, with the right hardware, you can even earn money by letting your local utility shape your charging sessions in line with grid demand.

Smart charging products have been around for years now. But would you actually hand over the keys? Do you trust your utility to have your car ready when you need it — or do you manage charging yourself? And if you're somewhere with a V2G program, do you trust them to pull power out of your pack and put it back?

Stay safe, stay engaged. Please watch our livestream from January.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxKt_APYQug

About The Transport Evolved Sunday Musings: These informal, unscripted vlog-style videos are a chance for the team to ask the audience their opinions on topics in the world of cleaner, greener, safer, smarter and more equitable transportation and energy - and are filmed without a teleprompter in a single take.

Presenter: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield. Camera, Editor, Colorist: Vi Horton Art and Animation: Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music supplied through Artlist.io © Transport Evolved LLC, 2026

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Yesterday, the United Nations Environment Programme confirmed what many climate activists, renewable energy wonks and EV owners feared it would: that we, collectively, have failed to act in a meaningful enough way to prevent global temperature rises due to anthropogenic climate change from going above 1.5ºC when compared to pre-industrial levels.

In a stark, frankly depressing report, it warns we will exceed a 1.5ºC rise in global temperature in the near future, and that short- to mid-term climate consequences are likely to cause irreversible losses and permanently changed conditions.

Today, (or rather, in a video recorded yesterday), Nikki discusses her reaction to the report, the gut reaction to want to give up — and how it's important that we do the exact opposite, doubling down on our efforts to make a cleaner, greener, safer, smarter and more equitable world in which we all have a place.

Read the report for yourself at : https://www.unep.org/resources/limiting-overshoot-navigating-exceedance

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 – Introduction 03:08 – Why this video, instead of the ones originally planned 04:24 – What we can still do about it 04:57 – Elect people who'll actually act on climate 07:26 – Talk to your friends and family about it 10:04 – Smarter transportation choices: right vehicle, right task. 13:42 – Consumerism (and the TE camera gear as an example). 15:19 – A shoutout to our prize winner! 16:06 – Reducing consumption means fewer emissions 16:42 – Shareholder activism 20:03 – Building resilience for emergencies 22:53 – Don't give up 25:55 – Thanks, and Goodbye!

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://www.littlecollie.com

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io

After spending nearly a decade ramping up toward an all-electric future, automakers around the world - or at least in some markets - are rolling back or even canceling their EV plans, choosing instead to focus on hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) technology.

But while automakers are eager to promote it as the next logical step after claiming pure EVs were a flop, we have data to back up our position: EREVs are not the solution we're looking for, and will do little to solve the real issue: affordable, accessible charging for all.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 02:33 - The challenge of charging - the real issue 05:57 - What's an EREV anyway? 09:09 - Challenges of EREVs 09:46 - An example of difference between EV and EREV efficiency 11:20 - Challenges of keeping an ICE engine healthy 12:08 - Modern EREVs are promising more 13:01 - Support the channel! 13:40 - Automakers move toward EREV 16:08 - Statistics of real-world use 19:05 - Alternatives exist! 20:26 - The elephant in the room: real-world use 22:07 - Discrepancies between claims and real-world use 26:25 - The same thing that would make them better is... 26:45 - Charging isn't the problem 28:46 - It's Politics, stupid 30:33 - Thanks, and Goodbye!

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://www.littlecollie.com

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✊ Get Involved 🗳️ https://indivisible.org/town-hall-resources ❤️ Support the Show 📰 https://www.transportevolved.com 🔥 https://www.patreon.com/transportevolved ☕ https://ko-fi.com/transportevolved 📺 https://www.youtube.com/transportevolved 👕 https://www.redbubble.com/people/TransportEVd/ 🛍️ https://amzn.to/40xOyjm ₿ BC1QRZRGCCXUKPDZ2DZ9KX9JYJXMZDYHYGFZ0MN4WH

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io

Disclaimer - Transport Evolved received this motorcycle free of charge from HMP Bikes in order to allow us to give you a long-term staff-vehicle review. No money exchanged hands for the review itself, and no editorial control was given or implied. HMP Bikes sees our reviews when you do. Nikki is providing ongoing honest feedback to HMP bikes in addition to producing this series.

We love our Ford F-150 Lightning, even though Ford ended production of it last year. As a work truck, it does everything we need it to. As a smallholder's helper, it happily carries soil, feed, and wood. But for quick trips into town, it's way too large to be safely driven.

Cognizant of that fact, we have two other higher-speed vehicles on our fleet, a far more practical Chevrolet Bolt EV, and a Vectrix VX-1. But as regulars to the channel will know, the VX-1 has been off the road for way too long, and restoring it has proven a pretty slow process.

SO when we reached out to HMP Bikes to ask if we could review its just launched Flash electric maxi scooter, we were offered not one but two vehicles to test long term - not just for a week.

The first one? It's called the Lightning MK II - but as you're about to see, it's very different to the F150 Lightning that shares its name.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction 00:57 Meet the Bike 02:24 How We Got It 04:19 Built for the City 05:00 Unboxing & Registration 06:27 First Impressions 07:16 Battery & Charging 08:55 Living With It 10:07 What's in the Box 11:44 How It Rides 14:06 Quirks & Bugs 15:57 The Range Test 18:34 The State-of-Charge Problem 22:25 Price & Final Thoughts 26:16 Thanks and Goodbye

Links: (Non-Affiliated)

HMP Bikes - https://www.hmpbikes.com

HMP Lightning Series (Including MKII) - https://www.hmpbikes.com/collections/lightning-series

HMP Flash - https://www.hmpbikes.com/collections/flash-series-1

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://www.littlecollie.com

—

✊ Get Involved 🗳️ https://indivisible.org/town-hall-resources ❤️ Support the Show 📰 https://www.transportevolved.com 🔥 https://www.patreon.com/transportevolved ☕ https://ko-fi.com/transportevolved 📺 https://www.youtube.com/transportevolved 👕 https://www.redbubble.com/people/TransportEVd/ 🛍️ https://amzn.to/40xOyjm ₿ BC1QRZRGCCXUKPDZ2DZ9KX9JYJXMZDYHYGFZ0MN4WH

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io

We've noticed a lot of comments on recent videos in which people have expressed both excitement in seeing us roll up our metaphorical sleeves and build (or modify) things for our fleet of EVs.

We've seen excitement as we've discussed open-source and alternative methods to regain control of our vehicles, charging stations, and data sovereignty.

All of that is great - and it makes us smile every time we read a comment expressing those sentiments. But something we feel less happy with is when people assume they can't learn these skills themselves, that we're clearly trained in an area, or that somehow we've just woken up one day with the skills we have.

That's far from the truth - which is that we're all self-taught. And yes, we screw up. And those screw ups? They make us better.

Today, Nikki talks about some of her recent failures, missteps - and why she thinks it'll lead to a better final outcome.

⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction 02:38 - It looks good but… it was a mistake. 03:57 - Back to the drawing board 05:27 - Frustrations ahoy 06:16 - Yes, Nikki is self-taught 08:50 - It's never too late to learn 10:53 - Now's the time to enroll in a new course! 13:44 - OVMS? It was misbehaving - Now it's fine. 15:28 - A New Project! 17:00 - The effect of parasocial 'success' 19:36 - If we can do it, so can you! 20:02 - Thanks, and goodbye!

👥 Today’s Sponsors 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org 🐕 Little Collie Shepherd - https://www.littlecollie.com

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✊ Get Involved 🗳️ https://indivisible.org/town-hall-resources ❤️ Support the Show 📰 https://www.transportevolved.com 🔥 https://www.patreon.com/transportevolved ☕ https://ko-fi.com/transportevolved 📺 https://www.youtube.com/transportevolved 👕 https://www.redbubble.com/people/TransportEVd/ 🛍️ https://amzn.to/40xOyjm ₿ BC1QRZRGCCXUKPDZ2DZ9KX9JYJXMZDYHYGFZ0MN4WH

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🎙️ Credits:

Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io