One notable entry described itself as "The Watt Family Poodle Farm and Insane Asylum." The Watt place (yes, really) stands out on the PlugShare list, one of several unexpected private residences among the app's location and status reviews of public EV chargers.
To find out who is inviting total strangers to their garage and why, photographer Michael Simari and I nabbed the key fob to an electric car we figured wouldn't be too unwelcome in any driveway, a BMW i4 M50, and charted a course along the west coast of Michigan, marking our stops based on PlugShare's little blue house icons.
Our first destination was a complex of tiny homes a few miles from the beach in South Haven, where, with no answers to our in-app texts, we pulled up in front of a charging Chrysler Pacifica and clumsily asked a woman sitting on the nearby patio if we could borrow some charge. "I'm sorry, what?" she said, looking confused. "Can we plug into your charging station? You're listed on the PlugShare map." Her eyes widened, and she started laughing.
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Fleeting Thoughts
Updates and hot takes on the vehicles fortunate enough to spend 40,000 miles with C/D's editors.
Swedish Bliss
The new Volvo EX90 channels the brand's characteristic approach to wellness and serenity into an electric SUV sized for the whole family.
Tick, Tick, Boom
Tesla Model 3 Performance HIGHS: Nauseatingly quick, airy cabin with great visibility, genuine value. LOWS: Off-putting user interface, inescapable clinical feeling, austere interior design.
Black Ops
The new Precision package for the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing hones one of our favorite sports sedans.
Pay to Play
Porsche Panamera HIGHS: Ample motivation, fun in every corner, surprising fuel economy. LOWS: Grip levels drop slightly, big price tag, dumb touchscreen vent controls. VERDICT: The bottom rung, but you'd never know it.
Man-o'-War
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Manthey Racing HIGHS: A clinic on proper steering response, 9000 rpm of sonic glory, more grip is good. LOWS: A mirror full of wing, upgrades useful only on track, quiet only when it's off.
Low-Pro Hero
Honda Civic Hybrid HIGHS: Fuel efficiency of a hybrid, Si-beating acceleration, as comfortable to ride in as it is engaging to drive. LOWS: No adjustable lumbar support, low-limit tires, quicker at the track than in the real world.
Back in Tune
CarBahn CB3 M4 HIGHS: A monster inline-six with an available warranty, massive grip and lateral stability, a better-looking face. LOWS: The exhaust needs an off switch, suspension links clatter, steering is still mute.
Hurricane Force
Ram 1500 HIGHS: Quicker than the old V-8 Ram, powerful and smooth turbo six, class-leading luxury. LOWS: Detectable turbo lag, slow-to-react touchscreen, hands-free mode zaps confidence.
Good Vibrations
No one has to guess what's under the hood of the Ferrari 12Cilindri.
