Electric Cars
5 Roadblocks for Electric Cars
Chevy, Ford, and Nissan are all debuting electric models over the next year, but are Americans ready? Eric Jaffe considers why not.
Bike-Sharing? Check. Now on to Car-Sharing
Next June, Paris will begin a test phase of a citywide electric car-sharing program.
Better Place To Create First Oil Free State In Israel
With the support of Israel's government, Better Place is proposing a radical solution to the country's petrol problems and aiming to make the country the first to rid itself of dependence on oil for transportation.
Cities Scramble to Prepare for Electric Vehicles
Electric cars sap a lot of electricity out of the grid, and many vehicles charging at once can cause unprepared cities to blackout.
What Cities Can Do to Encourage Electric Cars
Maury Blackman of Accela writes that local governments will have a significant effect on whether electric cars take off or not, because they will be approving and building the necessary infrastructure.
Michigan Pinning Revitalization Hopes on Batteries
Backed by funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Michigan has invested heavily in setting up factories to make batteries for electric vehicles like the Chevy Volt.
Will President Obama's E.V. Tax Credits Only Subsidise The Rich?
At $41,000 the new Chevrolet Volt is a "rich man's ride." Charles Lane asks why is President Obama offering federal tax credits of $7,500 to help better-off American's buy expensive cars?
The Island of EVs
Hawaii is an ideal test case for creating an electric car infrastructure because fuel costs are very high and distances are manageable. Charging stations are going up all over the islands with a goal of making it easy to envision driving an EV.
Waiting for a miracle
I was reading Wendell Cox's recent attack on the Center for Neighborhood Technology's affordability calculations, and was struck by one thing he wrote:“transportation costs will be reduced in the future by the far more fuel efficient vehicles being required by Washington.”* In other words, don't worry about Americans being impoverished by the cost of a car for every man, woman, and 16-year old in the House: the technological miracle of fuel efficiency will save us.
Cities Prepare for Electric Cars
San Francisco, Portland, and San Diego lead the charge to ensure everything from power grids to building codes are prepared for arrival of electric cars.
Electric Cars Must Wait (For Lower Battery Costs)
A new study from the Boston Consulting Group concludes that gasoline powered-vehicles will predominate till at least 2020; doubtful of their ability to attract customers, contradicting brighter industry forecasts predominantly due to battery costs.
Denver Nudging Locals Towards Electric Cars
This piece from Grist looks at electric-vehicle infrastructure in Denver, which may be a model for other cities looking to encourage the purchase and use of electric vehicles.
Danish Government Pushes Electric Cars With Envious Perks
But will they be enough to entice Danes to buy them? It may hinge on the availability of charging points and battery switching stations promised by "Better Place" of Palo Alto, CA and the Danish utility, Dong Energy.
Chrysler Bails on Electric Cars
Despite taking billions in stimulus funds with the promise of forging ahead on electric vehicles, Chrysler has dissolved the engineering team working on their three proposed electric offerings.
The Prius Power Drain
PG&E CEO Peter Darbee says that it wouldn't take very many all-electric cars to create a serious drain on local power generators.
France Plans Electric Car Charging Network
The French government hass announced plans to install electric car charging stations throughout the country.
New Use for Phone Booths
As cell phones have eliminated the need for phone booths, unused booths could play a key role in Spain's electric car revolution as charging stations.
Where Are We Going To Charge Our Cars?
Cities need stations where electric cars can recharge in order for the new technology to take off and become a reality in the future, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Canada Finds Electric Car Infrastructure Already In Place
In the cold climes of Canada, parking lots come equipped with 120-volt outlets to keep engine blocks warm. Planners see these outlets as a stepping stone to a future of electric cars for the country.
Vancouver Requires Electric Car Inclusionary Zoning
The city of Vancouver is going to begin requiring that a certain amount of electric car charging stations be included in all new residential developments.
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