Electric Vehicles! A Big Joke or Reality?

Enlightened governmental leadership is a double oxymoron! The lack thereof regarding legislative control of emissions and incentives to produce clean energy and clean vehicles allows the petroleum-automotive industrial complex to keep dragging their feet. They continue to design 'Crossovers', a gas hogger (SUV) in disguise, and the 'real man's vehicle, 'Pick Ups' (PU's) all of which have been exempt from strict emissions controls for years. But finally they are teasing us with promises of electric vehicles for the common man's commute.

We cannot risk dawdling for the next 40 years because the exploding economies if India and China need the right example to follow right now! That includes US state and federal legislators especially! Plug-in-Hybrids (PH's), all Electric Vehicles (EV's), and PHEV's are all available now or in 2010. When enough Americans set the right example, we can lead the rest of the world in avoiding the doubling of CO2 emissions before that target date of 2050.

PHEV's like the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight get from 40 to 60 mpg. We can trade up now and double our milage while cutting the cost by half and cutting our emissions to zero locally. Can you imagine paying half what you do now for gasoline? If you use half as much gasoline you have cut your car's carbon footprint by 50%! In addition you will be cutting your out put by 30% more in the bigger dumb grid picture, When the grid is fully based on clean renewable sources, you will have true ZERO emissions. What are we waiting for? You can, right now, cut your footprint by 100% by using an EV for short trips. Consider commuting and shopping with an Electric moped, motor bike, or motor scooter. Please start setting the right example today?

An EV puts out zero emissions locally but they are recharged from our 'Dumb' grid. Half of our available power STILL comes from DIRTY coal. Despite that, EV's represent a 30% decrease in emissions of CO2 and polluting particles. As the grid becomes smarter and supplies all of our energy from 100% renewable sources, EV's will realize their potential of 100% efficiency, true ZERO emissions. The near future is cleaner and brighter and global warming can be stopped.

Smart grid technology is coming but we already have enough power in the grid to switch to EV's and PHEV's. Since they could be charged during off peak hours, we can charge over 70% of our existing fleet, assuming we could convert the fleet to all electric overnight. Renewable energy from wind and solar could fill the gap. Smart grid technology will allow us to plug in while at work where our EV battery could actually supply energy to the grid during peak needs, while allowing solar roof sources to recharge it for the commute home. During evening hours, our batteries could supplement home needs, recharging late at night for the morning drive.

Most of the new PHEV's are extended range vehicles, designed to achieve over 100 miles per charge. After that the backup gasoline engine will help power the vehicle. That all electric range is good enough to get 80% of America's commuters to work, and back! The PH's Prius and Insight are getting 40 to 60 mpg now. The Chevrolet Volt is expected to get 230 mpg. Yes, TWO HUNDRED THIRTY miles per gallon! What does that do for your gas budget? And the Volt will go 40 miles on a charge alone before the gas engine has to assist. Electric golf carts, electric mopeds, motor bikes and motor scooters have been around for some time. People who use them enjoy an expense of about 3 cents per mile versus 13 cents per mile for a gas vehicle, and that's at current gas prices.

Ford, Mitsubishi, and Toyota plan on all electric vehicles to hit the production line by 2011. But what is available in 2010? Chrysler's General Electric Motor division has produced the all electric GEM E4. The Nissan Leaf expects to get 100 miles per charge and Nissan plans an extensive expansion of charging stations nationally to accommodate their projected sales! The Coda Sedan is all electric and will also go 100 miles per charge. Click on the links below for more information on the GEM, Leaf, and Coda. So, "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way!" Start commuting all electric now, or, trade up to a Volt or Coda next year, or, switch to mass transit tomorrow!