You Can Now Search for Airbnb’s With Electric Vehicle Chargers

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Have you been browsing through various Airbnb listings for your summer vacation? Like many electric vehicle owners out there, wouldn’t it be nice if you could find a location with an electric vehicle charger? Well, now you can. Summer road trip, here you come.

How do I search for electric vehicle chargers on Airbnb?

Charge your Porsche Taycan with an electric vehicle charger at your Airbnb | Martyn Lucy/Getty Images

Many Airbnb renters were looking to make it easier to locate chargers near the destinations of choice. Since you don’t always get the exact location when looking for a rental, it was hard for electric vehicle drivers to know if a charger was available.

In bigger cities, this was less of an issue. Many areas in big cities adapted to the EV charger thing pretty early. Big hotels also had a charger or two. But Airbnb was left out of that. At first, owners could mention it in the listing, but that wasn’t always easy to locate via search.

Airbnb announced a major update, including 100+ upgrades across the entire site. This includes things like flexible destinations, including treehouses, boats, cabins, and even yurts! You can opt for flexible dates to change around your arrival and departure, and you can find a place to plug in your electric vehicle.

Finding electric vehicle chargers on Airbnb

If you go to the Airbnb website, input your location and dates as usual. If you open the section that says “Facilities,” you can check various things. This includes free parking on-site, gym, hot tub, pool, and now “EV charger” is an option.

While this might not seem like a huge deal, it is! It is an added benefit for both sides of the coin. Airbnb hosts can now show that they offer a charger for potential guests, and potential guests now know there is a place to charge an electric vehicle.

Unfortunately, there is no way to find which kind of charger it is. Perhaps that is on the way or will be listed in the description. Pro tip: if you are a host, photograph your charger for potential buyers! That will help eliminate any issues once your guest arrives at the location.

What’s next for EV charging?

The U.S. is working overtime trying to get the electric vehicle charging network up and running. In some areas, it is already in place. However, many more rural areas or areas off the beaten path have do not yet have the infrastructure necessary. Most recently, the Mustang Mach-E has been having trouble keeping up with demand.

Michael Martinez of AutoMotive News took the Mach-E on an adventure for research purposes. He found that the Ford charging network wasn’t as ready for his road trip as he hoped. “My in-network options were mostly limited to a pair of ChargePoint stalls in the back of a gas station parking lot as well as single stations at dealerships. The closest Electrify America station was about 40 minutes – and one toll road – out of my way,” Martinez wrote.

While this might not be the case for all new EV owners, it is a situation that has been fairly common as we switch from gasoline to electric power. By adding Airbnb electric vehicle chargers into the mix, this has the potential to alleviate some road trip issues in the future. While you are waiting for the EV charging network to come to fruition, take advantage of this new option on your next adventure.

RELATED: How Extreme Weather Impacts Electric Vehicles

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How Do You Know if a Red Light Camera Took Your Picture?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Few pleasures are greater than tearing down the highway in a fast car. That is until you realize you ran a red light and broke a cardinal rule of car safety. The lack of blue lights behind you might be comforting — until you notice the red light camera. 

Then the real pressure hits as you wait for a ticket to come in the mail. But did the camera take your picture?

How red light cameras work

Red light cameras don’t randomly take pictures. Instead, they activate only when a vehicle runs a red light. The key to the camera knowing it’s time to snap a shot is when a car rolls over sensors installed in the road. 

This happens when you run a red light. The sensors embedded in the road trigger the camera to take a picture. This isn’t one you’ll want to post on social media, though.

Whether the camera takes a picture of your face or your license plate is another story. This depends on the state and its laws. Some states require a photo of the driver. Others allow only a snap of the license plate. Though this might seem like it doesn’t matter, in some cases, it definitely does.

The good news is that maintaining these cameras is expensive, so not all jurisdictions have them. They’re mainly used in big cities that can afford them and have a problem with drivers running red lights. 

How can you tell if a red light camera took your picture?

Sometimes, a red light camera will take your photo, but you still won’t get a ticket. “For instance, your car could just pass the sensor when the light is red, but not actually enter the intersection,” Reader’s Digest explains. “So the officer would not actually deem it a ‘violation.’”

However, the most obvious way you’ll know you got caught is when a ticket arrives in your mailbox from the Department of Motor Vehicles. Citations are issued to the person who holds the vehicle registration. That’s where things can become tricky, especially if someone else using your car ran the red light. If this is the case, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. You’ll be expected to pay the ticket or provide the DMV with the driver’s name and location.

If the driver is your child, it’s up to you to figure out how to address it. But let’s say you let a friend borrow your car, and they ran the red light. Proving you weren’t the guilty party might be futile. It could also make for an awkward conversation with your friend. Regardless, how you handle that situation is up to you.

But if you were the one who ran the red light in your own car, you have a few options.

What you should do if you get a ticket

If you get a ticket, the obvious thing to do is pay the fine. This will save you money trying to fight it in court. Getting a lawyer is definitely an option, too. Some states are more flexible than others and will dismiss the ticket, negotiate, or even allow you to pay a lower fine if you take a defensive driving course. As long as you don’t have a long string of prior tickets, they might work with you.

If you choose to ignore the ticket, it will most likely go to collections. For those who have never dealt with a debt collection agency, it’s not a fun experience. In fact, it can be exhausting. First, debt collectors won’t hesitate to bombard you with letters. If those don’t get your attention, then they begin calling you at home. Next comes calling your place of employment. 

If you block their calls, they’ll switch to a different number if you have one. And if you continue to ignore them, they might show up in person or even call your loved ones demanding your current contact information or even request that they pay for your debt themselves.

To avoid that nightmare, just pay the ticket.

RELATED: The Most Common Driving Test Mistakes That Will Make You Fail

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Hornet: The First New Dodge In Almost A Decade Is Coming

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The last time Dodge debuted a new vehicle was the Dart back in 2013. Is that any way to run a car company? But now Dodge is poised to reveal the Hornet, its first new vehicle in almost a decade.

Hornet will be based on Alfa Romeo’s Tonale crossover

Dodge Hornet concept from 2006 | Stellantis

As one would guess it will not be a car. No, the Hornet will be based on Alfa Romeo’s Tonale crossover. The Tonale is itself based on the Jeep Compass architecture. A Tonale concept was shown two years ago. 

The Italian site Passione Auto Italiane was first with Hornet news. It mentioned in a post that the Tonale would share production lines at the Alfa plant in Pomigliano D’Arco, Italy. Both will feature the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder currently found in the Wrangler. 

Hornet is the first new Dodge SUV since the 2011 Durango

Alfa Romeo Tonale crossover in red
Alfa Romeo Tonale crossover | Stellantis

Not only is the Hornet the first new Dodge since the 2013 Dart, but it is the first new Dodge SUV since the 2011 Durango. The Dart was only produced from 2013 to 2016. Based on scheduling for the Tonale assembly, we can assume that Hornet production will be the same. That date is March 2022, with deliveries to dealers starting in June. 

If you recall, Tonale’s introduction was delayed for three months. This followed after the new Alfa Romeo president demanded that Tonale’s PHEV engine deliver better performance. Based on Reddit comments there will not be a Hellcat version of the Hornet. 

The Hornet name actually goes back to Hudson vehicles of the 1950s. A Hornet was a high-performance sedan featuring a two-carb straight-six engine. Hornet ruled NASCAR stock car racing in the early 1950s. But by 1957 both the Hornet and Hudson Motor Company were gone. 

Does the Hornet name mean something?

Dodge Hornet concept crossover from 2006
Dodge Hornet concept from 2006 | Stellantis

Hudson became part of a larger American Motors Corporation with the merger of it, Packard, Studebaker, and Nash. This happened in 1954. The Hornet trademark was passed on to Chrysler when American Motors was purchased by Chrysler in 1986. That purchase included the Jeep brand. 

Dodge has been soldiering on with only the Charger, Challenger, and Durango SUV. It is one of the last American manufacturers to offer cars. Mostly, Ford and GM produce SUVs and crossovers, having killed off their three-box cars last year. Dodge has held headlines the last few years with ever-increasing horsepower versions of Hellcat performance offerings. 

With the merger of the French Peugeot Group and Fiat Chrysler-creating Stellantis, pundits were curious if the Dodge brand might be dropped. But the head of Stellantis recently stated he was giving each brand under the Stellantis umbrella 10 years to prove their worth.  

RELATED: Alfa In A World Of Hurt-Will The 2021 Tonale Help?

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Elon Musk Officially Cancels Tesla Model S Plaid + Via Twitter

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Tesla is known for producing some of the quickest electric vehicles on the planet, but it officially won’t be building what would have been its quickest. The Tesla Model S Plaid + was originally announced during last year’s “Battery Day,” but Elon Musk recently announced via Twitter that it has been canceled.

“Plaid is just so good”

Tesla Motors Chairman and CEO Elon Musk introduces the new Tesla Model S all-electric sedan. | AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo by Robyn BECK / AFP)

RELATED: Insane: Tesla Roadster 0-60 MPH in 1.1 Seconds Uses Gas Thruster Option!

If you have never heard of the Tesla Model S Plaid +, then we’ll recap the proposed specs for you. The Plaid + was touted to have a tri-motor setup, which Tesla promised would make 1,100 hp, a top speed of 200 mph, a range of 520+ miles, and a 0-60 mph time of fewer than two seconds. If these specs sound too good to be true, they are.

However, any prospective Plaid + buyers that are still salivating over those performance figures can still find thrill-seeking solace in a regular Model S Plaid. According to Tesla’s website, that car has a dual-motor setup, a range of 390 miles, a top speed of 200 mph, and a 0-60 mph time of 1.99 seconds. By the looks of it, that’s a fair trade-off, considering it looks like the third motor was mostly for extended range. It’s no wonder Elon Musk’s tweet read: “Plaid + is cancelled. No need, as Plaid is just so good.”

The Tesla Model S Plaid + would have cost as much as an exotic car

The Tesla Motors Inc. Model S electric car sits under power lines after being unveiled at the Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) factory.
The Tesla Motors Inc. Model S electric car sits under power lines after being unveiled at the Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) factory. | (Photo by Armando Arorizo/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

RELATED: Some Tesla Drivers Are Abusing Autopilot

All of that mind-blowing performance that the Tesla Model S Plaid + was slated to have would have come at a great cost as well. At $149,000, the Model S Plaid + would have cost as much as many exotic cars including the Acura NSX and Audi R8. Although, it technically would have been much quicker than either of them.

In reality, the Model S Plaid + was set to compete with the likes of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz EQS AMG and the Lucid Air, but we think that the Model S Plaid will put up a fight just as well. Musk didn’t give much of an explanation as to why the Model S Plaid + was cancelled. But Autoweek reports that it could have boiled down to “a combination of business and technical reasons.” To that, we can agree.

Model S delays could have something to do with it

Back in April, Autoweek reported that Tesla Model S and Model X deliveries were delayed due to the automaker having to retool its production lines. Considering these delays, it could be possible that Musk decided axe the Plaid + in favor of moving production along on the Model S Plaid. According to Tesla’s financial report, the automaker produced almost zero Model S sedans in the first quarter of 2021.

Whether or not the Plaid + being cancelled was due to production shortages or costs, we won’t know for now. However, it looks like the only people that really lost out on the deal were the ones that placed deposits for the Plaid +. We guess they’ll just have to save $20,000 and settle on a Model S Plaid.

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