Environmental Magazine: Are We Ready for Electric Cars?

NORWALK, Conn., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The September/October 2010 issue of E - The Environmental Magazine (now posted at: www.emagazine.com) takes a look at the coming electric car revolution, from family sedans to high-end sports cars; from the rush to build charging stations to the role of the much-touted, new computerized "smart grid."

Fully battery-powered cars like the electric Smart car, due for mass production in 2012, will be complemented by plug-in hybrids, which are like today's Prius on steroids. These hybrids add a much bigger battery pack and the ability to go up to 50 miles on batteries alone. The packs charge from the wall, and if you have a fairly short commute you may never need to use the onboard gas engine. Plug-in hybrids, too, will be here by 2012.

Few of these cars are on the road right now. Tesla Motors has sold around 1,300 of its sexy and very fast $109,000 electric Roadsters, but that's about it. But the hybrid storm is coming. By early 2011 there will be a flood of new models on the market, including the Chevrolet Volt (a unique hybrid whose gas engine acts as a generator for powerful electric motors), the Fisker Karma (a similar high-performance hybrid), the Coda (a small battery sedan), the Nissan Leaf (perhaps the first global electric vehicle (EV) on the market), the Wheego Whip LiFe (another small electric, with a Chinese chassis but an American soul), the electric Ford Focus and the Think City (a plug-in import from Norway, but with Ford roots).

Not all of these cars will be successes, but they're sure to change the way we drive. The electrification of the automobile is underway, and there's no stopping it now.

So What's the Holdup?

One of the biggest obstacles to a widespread switch to electric and hybrid cars is the higher price tag. People, at least in the short term, are unlikely to want to pay extra for cars with limited ranges and unfamiliar refueling procedures. That's why governments, with one eye on the Gulf oil spill and another on global warming, need to make commitments to buy EVs themselves to stimulate the market and ramp up subsidies to consumers to help them become early adopters. The Obama Administration has been notably proactive in providing billions in funding for battery and EV factories, but it hasn't yet introduced any direct subsidies to match those offered by California ($5,000 cash rebate) and China (up to $8,800).

"The government has to help," says Charles Gassenheimer, CEO of Indiana-based battery supplier Ener1 (and chairman of the Think board). "The Japanese government has invested $100 billion over the last 20 years to build not just batteries but the supply chain. That's why they're the leader. It's absolutely crucial that we start putting money into this now."

The other difficulty is in finding places to plug in -- particularly in cities. Mike Rowand, director of Advanced Customer Technology at Duke Energy says that it may be several years before EVs come into use in some places. In New York City, car-sharing (membership groups that let people pick up parked cars and trucks when they need them) may be the first opportunity for driving EVs. Simply put, it's easier to plug in from a garage; integrated urban charging stations have yet to be worked out, though city parking garages will likely be some of the first urban plug-in spots.

But will these stations charge cars fast enough for busy commuters?

E's coverage includes interviews with leading EV manufacturers and energy experts; a breakdown of the top electric and hybrid car models in the pipeline -- and what they'll cost you -- and even an inside look at how to build your own electric car.

E - The Environmental Magazine distributes 50,000 copies six times per year to subscribers and bookstores. Its website, www.emagazine.com, enjoys 150,000 monthly visitors. E also publishes EarthTalk, a nationally syndicated environmental Q&A column distributed free to 1,850 newspapers, magazines and websites throughout the U.S. and Canada (www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek). Single copies of E's September/October 2010 issue are available for $5 postpaid from: E Magazine, P.O. Box 469111, Escondido, CA 92046. Subscriptions are $29.95 per year, available at the same address.

SOURCE E-The Environmental Magazine