AAA to launch fast-charging trucks for stranded electric vehicles, Edmunds says

AAA to launch fast-charging trucks for stranded electric vehicles, Edmunds says - latimes.com body {background-color:#ffffff !important;}ul#root li.navLink a {padding-top:17px; padding-right:4px; padding-bottom:16px; padding-left: 5px;} Subscribe/Manage Account Place Ad LAT Store Jobs Cars Real Estate Rentals Classifieds Custom Publishing  Business HOME LOCAL L.A. Now Politics Crime Education O.C. Westside Neighborhoods Environment Obituaries Findlocal U.S. Politics Now Top of the Ticket Science & Environment Obituaries Religion WORLD Afghanistan & Pakistan Africa Asia Europe Iran Iraq Latin America Mexico Under Siege Middle East Business Money & Co. Technology Personal Finance Small Business Company Town Jobs Real Estate Autos SPORTS Lakers Clippers Dodgers Angels NFL Ducks/Kings USC UCLA Soccer High Schools Scores/Stats ENTERTAINMENT Movies Television Music Celebrity Arts & Culture Company Town Calendar The Envelope Findlocal Health Booster Shots Fitness & Nutrition Medicine Behavior Healthcare Reform Hospitals Living Home Food Image Books Findlocal Brand X Magazine Your Scene Cars Travel California Hawaii Mexico Las Vegas Europe Travel & Deal Blog Destinations Opinion Editorials Op-Ed Letters Opinion L.A. Deals Save: Deals Go: Travel Eat: Food Wear: Apparel Live: Everyday Needs Play: Electronics Drive More Mobile Site Subscribe / Manage Account Print Ads Place an Ad LAT Store Jobs Cars Real Estate Rentals More Classifieds Weekly Ad#inTheNews {min-height:20px;} Advanced Search Advanced Search X include all of these words: include any of these words: include this exact phrase: exclude: Select a date range this week past 30 days past 3 months past year Create a custom date range From: To: TechnologyThe business and culture of our digital lives,
from the L.A. Times AAA to launch fast-charging trucks for stranded electric vehicles, Edmunds says() June 21, 2011?|? 3:06pm

To combat range anxiety among electric vehicle drivers, AAA plans to launch trucks equipped with fast charger units to rescue battery-powered cars in need of rejuicing.

The motorist group, which provides emergency services to drivers around the country, will unveil the first system at a North Carolina conference in July, according to the AutoObserver blog at Edmunds.com.

Later this summer, the fleet of trucks will start rolling out in selected cities.

Fear of being stranded without power is one of the major roadblocks to electric vehicle adoption. Most drivers will need to spend hours charging vehicles like the Nissan Leaf in their homes.

Massive efforts are underway to install public charging infrastructure in major cities. Some companies, such as Cleveland-based Eaton Corp., have already started developing charger trucks.

RELATED:

Charging network a goal as electric vehicles come on line

L.A. gets wired with new electric-car charging stations

-- Tiffany Hsu

Photo: Heidi Bray, of Olympia, Wash., demonstrates how she charges her Nissan Leaf at the new ECOtality Blink Commercial charging stations in Seattle. Credit: Associated Press /?Seattle Times

To pass on technology-related story tips, ideas and press releases, contact our reporters listed below.

To reach us by phone, call (213) 237-7163

Email: business@latimes.com

Jessica Guynn
Jon Healey
W.J. Hennigan
Tiffany Hsu
Nathan Olivarez-Giles
Alex Pham
David Sarno
Categories3-d printer3dabby sewellactivisionadobeadvertisingaerospacealana semuelsalex phamalternative energyamazonandrew khouriandrew nystromandroidangel investorsaolappleapplicationsaround the webat&tautosavosbarnes & nobleben fritzbingbit playerblackberrybloggingblu-raybluetoothbooksbrightcovebroadcombrowserscelebritiescesces videochinachromecloud computingcomputersconsumer electronicscopyrightcorporate itcraigslistcurrent affairsdarpadavid colkerdavid piersondavid sarnodawn chmielewskidelldiggdigital cameradigital tvdisneydrme-commercee-maile3e3 2008ebayebookseconomyelectric carselectronic artsereadersfacebookfashionfederal communications commissionfederal emergency management agencyfederal trade commissionfile-sharingfilmfinancialfirefoxfood and drinkfoursquarefreegadgetsgamesgmailgooglegoogle tvgovernmentgowallagpsgreen techgrouponhackinghealthhewlett-packardhollywoodhotmailhphp weboshtchtml5huluibmicloudimacintelinternet exploreriosipadiphoneipodsispsitunesjames s. granellijerry hirschjessica guynnjim puzzangherajon healeykidskindlekinectkristena hansenla techlcdlegolglinkedinlivingsocialmac computersmac os xmedia on the webmemesmichelle maltaismicrosoftmidwaymobilemobile appsmotorolamoviesmusicmyspacenasanathan olivarez-gilesnear field communicationnet neutralitynetflixnintendonokianookonline gamesonline videooperaoracleorange countypalmpalm prepanasonicpandorapatentpaypalphilipsphishingphonesphotographypiracyplasmaplaystationpodcastspoliticsprivacyreligionresearch in motionretailrobotsrokuroviosafarisalvador rodriguezsamsungsapsciencesearchsecond lifesecuritysemiconductorsshan lisilicon valleyskypesocial gamessocial mediasocial networkingsocial statussonyspacexspamsportssprintsquarestart-upsstreet viewsxswt-mobiletablettablet computerstake-two interactive softwaretedtelecom pricestelematicstelevisionthomas mulligantiffany hsutivotoshibatoystraveltumblrtwitteru.s. cellularubermediaustreamventure capitalverizonvideovideo gamesvimeovirgin groupvirtual worldsviziow.j. henniganwaveweb appsweb scoutweb/techweblogswi-fiwiiwikileakswikipediawindows 7windows 8windows phone 7xboxyahooyelpyoutubezuneszynga

ArchivesJune 2011May 2011April 2011March 2011February 2011January 2011December 2010November 2010October 2010September 2010August 2010July 2010June 2010May 2010April 2010March 2010February 2010January 2010December 2009November 2009October 2009September 2009August 2009July 2009June 2009May 2009April 2009March 2009February 2009January 2009December 2008November 2008October 2008September 2008August 2008July 2008June 2008May 2008April 2008?
Get the Business Daily NewsletterThe latest in daily financial news, closing stock market quotes and technology trends.
See a sample | Sign up

More from The Times24 FramesAfterwordAll The RageAwards TrackerBabylon & BeyondBig PictureBooster ShotsBrand XCompany TownCulture MonsterDaily DishDaily MirrorDodgers BlogFabulous ForumFrameworkGreenspaceHero ComplexHomicide ReportJacket CopyL.A. at HomeL.A. NowL.A. Times on TumblrL.A. UnleashedLa PlazaLakersMinistry of GossipMoney & Co.Opinion L.A.OutpostsPolitiCalPolitics NowPop & HissReaders' RepresentativeShow TrackerTechnologyTop of the TicketTravel News & DealsVarsity Times Insider



Corrections Horoscopes Media Kit About Us Contact Us Site Map
Coastline Pilot | Daily Pilot |Huntington Beach Independent | Valley Sun | Burbank Leader | News Press |KTLA |Hoy | Brand X | LA, Los Angeles Times Magazine | ZAP2itBaltimore Sun |Chicago Tribune |Daily Press |Hartford Courant |LA Times |Orlando Sentinel |Sun Sentinel |The Morning Call

Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Los Angeles Times, 202 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, California, 90012 | Copyright 2011

A Tribune Web site

View the original article here

Yazaki North America, Inc. and Evatran Partner to Bring Plugless Power to Electric Vehicles

Press Release Source: Evatran; Yazaki North America, Inc. On Wednesday June 1, 2011, 6:00 am EDT

WYTHEVILLE, Va., June 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Evatran, the developer of the Plugless Power? electric vehicle (EV) inductive recharging system, and Yazaki North America have signed a Joint Development Agreement to develop and market Plugless Power? technology to automotive manufacturers as a factory or dealership option. With joint resources, Evatran and Yazaki are developing a hands-free charging system to be used in residential, commercial, and industrial applications, eliminating the need to "plug in" to recharge the vehicle's battery.

(Logo: ?http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110601/PH11817LOGO-a)

(Logo: ?http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110601/PH11817LOGO-b)

Charging with the Plugless Power? system is as simple as parking the EV above the floor-mounted parking pad. The solution utilizes proven, induction technology to create a convenient wireless charging system designed specifically for the high-power EV application. The Plugless Power? technology transfers up to 3.3kW of power, the level required by most electric vehicle models, at efficiencies above 90 percent, ensuring that vehicles recharge as quickly as with traditional plug-in methods.

"This partnership guarantees that our technology will have the highest level of design reviews, performance testing, and vehicle integration engineering," said Rebecca Hough, Executive Vice President of Sales and Product Development at Evatran. "Yazaki's experience in the automotive industry will ensure our vision for a simple, convenient EV recharging solution comes to fruition."

Jim Romine, Executive Vice President of Engineering at Yazaki North America said, "Yazaki is proud to be one of the first suppliers committed to assessing and commercializing new technologies for our customers, with a specific focus on sustainable initiatives and hybrid electric vehicles. We look forward to using our technical expertise in the automotive sector to bring this technology to the emerging electric vehicle market." ?

Yazaki North America is a Tier 1 automotive supplier with headquarters in Canton, Mich., and is a subsidiary of Yazaki Corporation with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. As the world's largest supplier of automotive electrical distribution systems (EDS), Yazaki has been at the forefront of the electric vehicle market since its inception with years of experience in high voltage system integration and development. Yazaki supplies products to vehicle manufacturers worldwide with a product portfolio that includes an SAE J1772? compliant Charge Coupler and assembly along with electrical components for hybrid vehicles.

About Yazaki

Yazaki Corporation is a global leader in the research, development and delivery of vehicle power and data solutions for vehicle applications. Yazaki produces electrical distribution systems, Vehicle Information Products, solid-state power centers, connection systems and electronics. Worldwide, the company employs nearly 200,000 people in 39 countries. Yazaki has been committed to the preservation of the environment for over 70 years. The company continues this commitment today through the development of advanced electric components for hybrid electric vehicles, the promotion of recycling and the efficient use of resources. For more information about Yazaki North America, Inc. and its vision for a greener tomorrow, log onto www.yazaki-na.com.

About Evatran

Plugless Power? (www.pluglesspower.com), manufactured by Evatran?, is the first electric vehicle (EV) charging system on the market to offer customers a simple way to charge their EVs with the ease of hands-free, automatic technology. Utilizing inductive technology, which has been used in electrical transformers for more than 100 years, Plugless Power streamlines the charging of electric vehicles by eliminating the nuisance of the cord and the plug. For more information, visit www.pluglesspower.com.

View the original article here

Majority of Consumers Ready to Consider Buying Plug-in Electric Vehicles, But Challenge Utilities with their Car ...

The majority of consumers would consider buying a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) for their next car purchase, according to a global study by Accenture (NYSE:ACN). But an accompanying report concludes that consumer preferences for charging PEVs could increase the cost and complexity of managing the electricity grid and charging infrastructure.

?Plug-in electric vehicles: changing perceptions, hedging bets?, a study of over 7000 people in 13 countries, found that 60 percent of consumers would consider buying a PEV for their next car purchase. 68 percent would probably or certainly do so within the next three years (23 percent certainly, 45 percent probably). Respondents in China are by far the most enthusiastic, 96 percent of them probably or certainly considering a purchase in the next three years.

Consumers? preferences for charging PEVs, however, could challenge utilities and charging service providers by increasing grid congestion and peak time electricity demand.

Two thirds (67 percent) of consumers are not willing to let charge point operators limit when they can charge their PEV. A further 20 percent would only accept limits if they fell within time periods they had chosen. This would reduce the scope to manage electricity demand and avoid grid congestion. 62 percent would reject battery swapping, where empty batteries are quickly replaced at service stations for fully charged ones, preferring to plug in their car to recharge the battery. This could limit the opportunity for charging off peak, when battery swapping companies would most likely refuel batteries. 55 percent would only plug in their PEV when they need to charge up, rather than whenever they park. This behavior could result in less predictable charging patterns and could reduce the demand for public charging infrastructure.

Consumers would also need more supportive charging infrastructure in order to adopt fully electric PEVs. Only 29 percent of car drivers would buy fully electric PEVs. 71 percent would prefer plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs), which run on gasoline / diesel once the battery runs low. 85 percent say fully electric PEVs have insufficient battery range to cover their daily driving needs. But 83 percent cite the insufficient availability of charging points and 70 percent think charging times for full plug-in EVs are too long.

"As drivers get behind the wheel, they may become more open to fully electric vehicles and battery swapping services. But denser charging networks and fast charging units will be required if utilities want to drive up demand for all plug-in electric vehicles,? said Matias Alonso, global managing director, Utilities, Accenture. "The uncertain demand for plug-in electric vehicles and their impact on the grid means that energy providers must choose between running the risk of network overload and the need for large infrastructure investment, or early deployment of smart technologies that proactively manage local electricity demand and supply.?

Cost not the only factor of adoption

The fuel source of electricity is important to car drivers. 80 percent would want to know the source of the electricity used to charge their car. 45 percent say that the fuel source would have an impact on their decision to buy a PEV. Of these, 85 percent would be encouraged to buy a PEV if the fuel source was renewable. Nuclear and fossil fuel generated electricity would discourage 48 and 51 percent respectively from buying a PEV.

The cost of PEVs is not currently the only key factor of adoption. 51 percent of consumers would be motivated to buy a PEV for their next purchase if the total running cost was lower than for a conventional vehicle. More important, however, would be the availability of charging points (63 percent) and the battery range being equal to a full tank of a conventional car (53 percent).

When asked what incentives would encourage them to switch to a PEV, 65 percent of respondents cite free parking, 44 percent point to toll discounts and 43 percent to the availability of priority lanes as potential incentives.

"The cost of buying and running plug-in electric vehicles will be a major factor determining take up, but city authorities and energy providers will have to motivate drivers in non-financial ways if they are to push up adoption,? said Matias Alonso. "Stimulating demand for plug-in electric vehicles at the lowest possible cost to investors and taxpayers will require the public and private sectors to segment the market and offer a range of non financial incentives. For instance, young urban drivers may be attracted by the availability of parking concessions and the guarantee of renewable fuel sources.?

Competition for charging services

Utilities may face strong competition in the charging services market. When asked who they would prefer to buy charging services from, 79 percent put utilities in their top three choices. 71 percent listed gas/ diesel service stations in their top three. Retailers and local governments fare less well on 51 and 48 percent respectively. The vast majority of car drivers would want to pay as they charge, as they do for fuel today, requiring utilities to consider changes to their revenue and billing systems if they are to service the market.

Recommendations for energy utilities

1) Reach consumers through commercial alliances with automotive distributors: this will help monitor local demand for PEVs and their impact on infrastructure. It will also give them advantaged access to new customers as they purchase PEVs.

2) Optimize infrastructure through collaboration with distribution network operators (DNOs): This includes investing in smart charging to automate charging at times and speeds optimal to the grid and generation capacity. Utilities should also use analytics to exploit consumer usage to better determine patterns of demand and supply.

3) Engage consumers through market segmentation: Target customer groups with different offers to increase margins as adoption rises. Utilities should also ensure the focus of PEV pilots covers the customer experience as well as technology issues.

Click here to download the report and find further details of the survey findings and recommendations for infrastructure players, gasoline / diesel retailers, service providers, metropolitan authorities and regulators.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 215,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world?s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$21.6?billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2010. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

View the original article here

What BMW Really Thinks About Electric Vehicles

The car giant doesn't see an EV in every driveway--yet.

 

Last week, BMW upset electric vehicle lovers everywhere when Jim O'Donnell, the company's North American chairman and CEO, said that EVs won't work at their current battery range for at least 90% of the population--and that the U.S. government should end the $7,500 EV tax credit. Does this mean these cars aren't going to be in every driveway in five years?

Actually, people are pretty excited about electric cars--as is BMW, which is making them. So now the company is rushing to do damage control lest we think that it is not behind its own entry into the market. Fast Company had the chance to talk to Tom Kowaleski, VP of Corporate Communications for BMW North America, to find out what the company really thinks about EVs--and other alternative vehicle technologies.

So how about O'Donnell's comment that EVs may not work for 90% of the population? BMW seems to stand by it. Kowalski tells us, "In the next 15 years, internal combustion engines will still be between 85% to 95% of personal mobility around the world. Because we have such a diverse driving environment [in the U.S.], in some areas it could be higher, in some it could be lower." That is a pretty conservative view of what innovation we might make happen with electric cars in the next decade.

But BMW is still planning on rolling out EVs for that 5%, starting with a lease program for the ActiveE electric coupe next year. For now, the company believes it is catering to a niche market, mainly because EV tech does admittedly have some kinks to work out, including short battery range and lack of infrastructure.

And as for O'Donnell's comment about abolishing EV tax credits--credits that people might want to use to, say, buy a BMW EV? BMW is backtracking on that one. "Oftentimes in the early days, it does require a tactical use of the right incentives to stimulate the market. It was never our intention to say that we don't like incentives on EVs, rather that we think in particular incentives in America should not be used to stimulate one [technology] over the other," says Kowalski.

In other words, the government shouldn't play favorites, but BMW still appreciates having some sort of cash bump for its customers. And the company isn't ignoring the subsidies, either--it has at least two EVs in the pipeline and no current plans for a commercial hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

[Photo by hddod]

Reach Ariel Schwartz via Twitter or email.

http://seeebook.com/

TerraPass Carbon Calculator First to Include All-electric Vehicles; Most Comprehensive US Vehicle Calculator Available

Posted on: Sunday, 1 May 2011, 00:09 CDT

TerraPass Releases Update of their Online Carbon Footprint Calculator with All-electric Vehicle Emissions Data and Latest EPA Fuel Economy Data for US Vehicles

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) April 28, 2011

TerraPass (http://www.terrapass.com), a leading provider of carbon offsets, has released an update to its carbon footprint calculator (http://www.terrapass.com/carbon-footprint-calculator/), an online tool that helps individuals calculate their greenhouse gas emissions from driving, flying, and home energy usage. For the first time, the calculator now makes it possible to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from driving all-electric vehicles.

Though electric vehicles do not emit greenhouse gases directly, emissions arise from generating the electricity required to charge the cars’ batteries. Following the US EPA’s lead, the TerraPass calculator uses the “miles per gallon-equivalent” figure shown on vehicle sales stickers as an input to its calculations. Since electric cars don’t use gasoline, a “gallon-equivalent” is pegged at 33.7 kilowatt-hours, the quantity of stored electrical energy equivalent to the energy stored in one gallon of gasoline. For example, the EPA rates the all-electric Nissan Leaf at 99 miles per gallon-equivalent.

The all-electric vehicle calculations are available through the Alternative Fuel option on the main calculator page. This option also allows users to calculate the footprint of vehicles powered by biodiesel, compressed natural gas, and ethanol. In all cases, the user enters the miles per gallon (or gallon-equivalent) from their own experience or from the US EPA, as well as the number of miles they drive each year.

The calculator update also provides emissions estimates for all 2011-model cars on sale nationwide, making the TerraPass calculator the most comprehensive US vehicle calculator available. Though many calculators use EPA data, the EPA’s public dataset contained substantial errors and omissions this year.

“For literally hundreds of car models, we went back to source data and either corrected or supplemented the EPA dataset,” said Erin Craig, TerraPass’ CEO. “Our customers were helpful in road-testing our calculator to make sure we got it right.”

A look at a few of the most fuel-efficient vehicles provided the following figures (lbs of CO2 per year with 12,000 miles driven):
????Toyota Prius: 4,661 lbs CO2????Lexus CT 200h: 5,549 lbs CO2????Nissan Leaf: 5,588 lbs CO2????Honda Civic Hybrid: 5,684????Honda CR-Z: 6,298 lbs CO2For more information about the TerraPass carbon calculator, visit http://www.terrapass.com/carbon-footprint-calculator/.

About TerraPass
Launched in 2004, TerraPass works with developers of greenhouse gas reduction projects to bring to market renewable energy and independently-verified carbon offsets. TerraPass manages a portfolio of more than 20 emissions reduction projects across the United States, primarily focused on waste-to-energy. With projects registered under the Climate Action Reserve and the Verified Carbon Standard, the company is an award-winning provider of carbon offsets and serves both voluntary and compliance buyers. For more information, visit http://www.terrapass.com or call +1 415-692-3411.

# # #

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2011/04/prweb5278404.htm

Source: prweb

More News in this Category

View the original article here

TerraPass Carbon Calculator First to Include All-electric Vehicles; Most Comprehensive US Vehicle Calculator Available

Posted on: Sunday, 1 May 2011, 00:09 CDT

TerraPass Releases Update of their Online Carbon Footprint Calculator with All-electric Vehicle Emissions Data and Latest EPA Fuel Economy Data for US Vehicles

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) April 28, 2011

TerraPass (http://www.terrapass.com), a leading provider of carbon offsets, has released an update to its carbon footprint calculator (http://www.terrapass.com/carbon-footprint-calculator/), an online tool that helps individuals calculate their greenhouse gas emissions from driving, flying, and home energy usage. For the first time, the calculator now makes it possible to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from driving all-electric vehicles.

Though electric vehicles do not emit greenhouse gases directly, emissions arise from generating the electricity required to charge the cars’ batteries. Following the US EPA’s lead, the TerraPass calculator uses the “miles per gallon-equivalent” figure shown on vehicle sales stickers as an input to its calculations. Since electric cars don’t use gasoline, a “gallon-equivalent” is pegged at 33.7 kilowatt-hours, the quantity of stored electrical energy equivalent to the energy stored in one gallon of gasoline. For example, the EPA rates the all-electric Nissan Leaf at 99 miles per gallon-equivalent.

The all-electric vehicle calculations are available through the Alternative Fuel option on the main calculator page. This option also allows users to calculate the footprint of vehicles powered by biodiesel, compressed natural gas, and ethanol. In all cases, the user enters the miles per gallon (or gallon-equivalent) from their own experience or from the US EPA, as well as the number of miles they drive each year.

The calculator update also provides emissions estimates for all 2011-model cars on sale nationwide, making the TerraPass calculator the most comprehensive US vehicle calculator available. Though many calculators use EPA data, the EPA’s public dataset contained substantial errors and omissions this year.

“For literally hundreds of car models, we went back to source data and either corrected or supplemented the EPA dataset,” said Erin Craig, TerraPass’ CEO. “Our customers were helpful in road-testing our calculator to make sure we got it right.”

A look at a few of the most fuel-efficient vehicles provided the following figures (lbs of CO2 per year with 12,000 miles driven):
????Toyota Prius: 4,661 lbs CO2????Lexus CT 200h: 5,549 lbs CO2????Nissan Leaf: 5,588 lbs CO2????Honda Civic Hybrid: 5,684????Honda CR-Z: 6,298 lbs CO2For more information about the TerraPass carbon calculator, visit http://www.terrapass.com/carbon-footprint-calculator/.

About TerraPass
Launched in 2004, TerraPass works with developers of greenhouse gas reduction projects to bring to market renewable energy and independently-verified carbon offsets. TerraPass manages a portfolio of more than 20 emissions reduction projects across the United States, primarily focused on waste-to-energy. With projects registered under the Climate Action Reserve and the Verified Carbon Standard, the company is an award-winning provider of carbon offsets and serves both voluntary and compliance buyers. For more information, visit http://www.terrapass.com or call +1 415-692-3411.

# # #

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2011/04/prweb5278404.htm

Source: prweb

More News in this Category

View the original article here

Group backs perks for electric vehicles

The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (eVAP) said it fully supports the Electric & Hybrid Vehicles Incentive Act of 2011 which would provide incentives for the manufacture, assembly and importation of electric and hybrid vehicles.

Yvonne Castro, executive director of eVAP, said the government is now ready to take a closer look at the viability of electric vehicles especially with the rising prices of oil.

The group said granting of tax incentives for both imported and local EVs is pursuant of eVAP’s vision of a zero emission transport system.

But eVAP is batting for additional incentives to local manufacturing which includes priority in granting of franchise for locally manufactured EVs to be used for mass public transport system like e-jeepneys and e-buses and exemption to color coding and free parking.

The group also seeks the grant of incentives to supporting infrastructures like charging stations.

eVAP said these should be part of a more comprehensive national program for electric, hybrid and other alternative fueled vehicles.

View the original article here

Electric vehicles take over Grand Prix track

Building on last year's inaugural season, Purdue's Electric Vehicle Grand Prix will continue to grow and educate students about the potential of electrical energy.

From last year's 17-vehicle race held on the Grand Prix track, EV Grand Prix has expanded to include nearly a dozen universities. Some cars are from U.S. states as far away as California, and others cars are from countries such as England and Ireland. The race will also feature a secondary component that will take place on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of the Indy 500's 100th anniversary celebrations.

Purdue's Electric Vehicle Initiative was founded in 2010 and funded by a $6.1 million grant from the Indiana Advanced Electric Vehicle Training and Education Consortium and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Professor Jeff Richardson teaches in the department of electrical and computer engineering technology. He teaches electric vehicle design and fabrication, and the final project of this course is a race-ready vehicle - three of which will participate in this year's race.

"These are the technologies that could grow into prominence in the coming years," Richardson said. "Events like these help fight the consumer stigma that electric vehicles compromise performance for efficiency."

Much of the growth the EV Grand Prix is experiencing can be attributed to increased industrial interest as word has gotten out about the event.

"Companies like GE and General Motors try to connect with these students right away," said Steve Shelby, EV Grand Prix's director of strategic engagement. "They have real-world experience with the technology and that can be a strong asset during their professional careers."

The race itself consists of 100 laps around the same course used for the traditional Grand Prix.

EV Grand Prix has features that differ strongly from its famed counterpart. Prior to racing, teams give presentations to a panel of judges to highlight various engineering and technological aspects of their vehicle. These presentations are the way teams receive their seeding. During the race itself, teams are judged not only on speed, but on the amount of energy they use per lap. At the end of the day, awards are presented to teams with the best presentation, fastest race time and most efficient vehicle, and an overall winner is named as well.

"EV Grand Prix is an outlet for all the knowledge that the students acquire in the classroom," Richardson said. "They end up with a real car they can take out to the track and race. That's just cool."

View the original article here

'Smart' power grid needed for electric vehicles

(PhysOrg.com) -- While an upcoming Electric Vehicle Grand Prix may reflect a growing popularity of electric vehicles, their widespread adoption will require innovations to the power grid, say researchers at Purdue University.

The researchers are working in areas related to the development of a "smart" power grid capable of handling the demands posed by thousands of charging electric vehicles.

A smart grid would use computers and sensors to coordinate the distribution of power and accommodate the increased demand caused by electric vehicles. The innovation also would help optimize the use of electricity from renewable sources, including solar and wind power, said J. Eric Dietz, an associate professor of computer and information technology.

"It will use better dynamic modeling and the ability to predict what's happening on the grid," he said. "It will, for example, coordinate the use of wind turbines and solar sources and take into consideration when air conditioning and major appliances are being used."

If such factors aren't properly coordinated, the system could overload.

"It could literally melt the wires running between power companies and users," Dietz said.

Purdue's Electric Vehicle Grand Prix will begin at 1 p.m. April 30 on the university's Grand Prix course northwest of campus. The event is a prelude to the inaugural Purdue Collegiate evGrandPrix on May 7 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Purdue faculty members and students also are involved in educational and research aspects related to various technologies surrounding electric vehicles. The university will develop a smart grid lab and a series of laboratory capabilities at colleges, universities and industrial sites across the state, said Joseph F. Pekny, a Purdue professor of chemical engineering.

Other smart grid work at Purdue involves understanding how to operate the power grid reliably given the demands posed by the introduction of plug-in hybrid vehicles. Not only will the grid need to reliably handle vehicle charging, but it also will need to deal with hundreds or thousands of cars putting power back into the grid, said Andrew Liu, an assistant professor of industrial engineering.

"Your car can be used as a generator to not only power your house but also put electricity into the grid," Liu said. "But in our current infrastructure there is only one-way communication. You can only charge, you cannot send electricity back to the grid. If you could, you should be compensated for that, which could help the adoption of electric vehicles because then the cost of owning an electric vehicle would come down."

Such a two-way communication between electricity consumers and power providers requires specialized electricity meters, communication software and market rules, as well as new types of transformers to accommodate these two-way communications.

"If you want wide adoption of electric vehicles and to modernize the electricity system you need a systematic way of coordinating policies and technologies," Liu said. "What if a charging station can only take one vehicle at a time? Then the waiting time will be enormous, and will people do that?"

Further interdisciplinary research and simulations are needed to understand the interplay between economics, demographics and driving behavior.

"The way electricity is priced now, you pay an average price no matter when you use it, even if it's the hottest time of day during a heat wave," said Douglas Gotham, director of the State Utility Forecasting Group, a state-funded panel based at Purdue. "It's one of the few commodities priced that way. If you look at how long-distance telephone service changed when they broke up AT&T, instead of paying the average price for long-distance service that everybody was used to paying, you had all these pricing schemes where nights and weekends were cheaper. You would wait until after 8 at night to make a long-distance phone call. The only reason electricity can't be the same way is the way we meter it now.

"There is a mechanical meter on the side of your house with a little disk that goes around and somebody comes once a month and reads it, but you can't do time-of-day pricing based on that system."

However, new smart meters would allow two-way communication with the utility company. The meters are being tested in a pilot program in 10,000 South Bend homes.

"The smart grid is not hard to do," Gotham said. "You need a system that tells customers what the price is. The hard part is getting consumer behavior to change. Most people won't want to watch the price indicator for their electricity 24 hours a day. But if you start making people pay the real price of electricity during peak periods, they may wait until later to run the dishwasher, and so on."

Before new metering technology can be implemented, a standard is needed, Gotham said.

"Without a standard, utilities are hesitant to make major investment in it," he said. "You don't want five years from now to have the smart grid equivalent of a Betamax."

More information: Information about the evGrandPrix is available at http://www.evgrandprix.org

Provided by Purdue University (news : web)

View the original article here

Electric Vehicles take race to Indy

Posted: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 10:00 am | Updated: 10:25 am, Wed Mar 30, 2011.

The University will kick off the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 with the inaugural Purdue Collegiate Electric Vehicle GrandPrix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 7.

Up to 50 colleges, including three British universities, will compete at the maiden Purdue Collegiate evGrandPrix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Purdue evGrandPrix will precede the intercollegiate race by a week. Danny White, Purdue's Motorsports Outreach Specialist, said about 3,000 people are expected to attend the event, which is 1000 more than the inaugural race last year. White also expects 30 in-state teams consisting of five members each to attend.

"The entry list is a bit larger," White said. "About twice the entries of our inaugural season. We have some advances in technology and chassis setup is being introduced this year. The safety has improved two to three times."

This year's vehicles have newer, more powerful batteries and battery management systems that will improve performance and safety over the 100-lap, 33-mile race.

Another novelty offered at the Grand Prix is an opportunity for competitors in the gas Grand Prix race to convert their motors into green electric vehicle carts. Some teams have already shown interest and will compete in both the gas and electric vehicle race.

Unlike the gas Grand Prix, the electric vehicle race emphasizes design, speed and ecological friendliness. The winner of the race is based on 40 percent race placement, 20 percent design documentation, 20 percent energy conservation and 20 percent community outreach.

"The race is a Purdue-run educational event," said Brandi Benda, a sophomore in the undergraduate studies program and the Purdue motorsports association treasurer. "We are a staff-led, student-driven green group."

White emphasized that the green race draws a family-friendly crowd and encourages students to invite family members to showcase their academic accomplishments. The race is also the University's attempt to push green technology and innovation.

"The karts make no noise, release no toxic exhaust or smell like lawn mower engines," White said. "You can hear the announcer, the squealing tires, the karts banging each other and occasionally students expressing their dissatisfaction with other drivers.

"Purdue now has working relationships with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the IZOD Indy Car Series, Indy Lights, HVM Motorsports and Dallara. So Purdue University is now involved in motorsports and in a very big way."

View the original article here

ChargePoint Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles Now Available - Go Shopping!

The Bellevue Collection today announced the installation of its ChargePointR networked electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in 15 locations in The Bellevue Collection parking garages. The ChargePoint stations are now installed and were unveiled at a “Plug In Ceremony” in the NE parking garage at Bellevue Square.

Bothell, WA (PRWEB) March 17, 2011

The Bellevue Collection today announced the installation of its ChargePointR networked electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in 15 locations in The Bellevue Collection parking garages. The ChargePoint stations are now installed and were unveiled at a “Plug In Ceremony” in the NE parking garage at Bellevue Square.

ChargeNorthwest's Jim Billmaier and Kemper Development Company's Glen Bachman hosted the announcement event. Additionally several electric vehicles including the Nissan LEAF and Tesla Roadsters were on display and used to demonstrate how the charge stations work.

The installation of these new ChargePoint stations is part of an overall program by The Bellevue Collection management toward greater environmental stewardship.

There are fifteen locations at The Bellevue Collection featuring the networked electric vehicle (EV) charging stations:
????5 ports in the West Garage on the 2nd level near sky bridge #2????4 ports in the Northeast Garage, 1st floor near Nordstrom????4 in the Lincoln Square Garage on the 1st level (P1)????2 ports in the Bellevue Place Garage on the 1st level (P1)

Our Other Green Efforts Include:
????A portion of the landscape is irrigated with reclaimed water????Extensive use of low evaporation drip irrigation????Shrubbery and tree cuttings are mulched and composted????Use of drought tolerant and native plantings

With Waste Stream management & Landfill Diversion:
????Cardboard recovery program????Trash recycling????Kitchen waste composting????Bulb recycling program????Paint disposal program????Styrofoam recovery system

Our Carpooling & Telecommuting;
????Park & ride program through Trans manage

Our use of Materials & resources includes:
????Low VOC paints????Biodegradable janitorial products????Recyclable paper products????And energy efficient lighting & appliances

“Bellevue Square has been a trend setting shopping destination for generations in our community,” said Freeman. “It’s only fitting that we would be the location of the first ChargePoint stations for shopping centers in the region to offer this to our customers. You can be charging while shopping or dining. What could be easier for our customers?”

The new installation at The Bellevue Collection is part of Coulomb’s $37 million ChargePoint America program. Coulomb’s ChargePoint America program will provide 4,600 free charging stations in nine regions in the United States: Austin, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando/Tampa, Sacramento, San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area, Redmond/Bellevue, Washington DC/Baltimore, Southern Michigan (including Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Detroit). Installation of the ChargePoint charging stations is underway now in all nine regions. Businesses interested in free ChargePoint stations can visit http://www.chargepointamerica.com to apply.

Coulomb’s ChargePointR Network is open to all drivers of plug-in vehicles and all manufacturers of plug-in vehicle charging stations. ChargePoint Network’s unique features include:
????The ability for drivers to access stations via contactless credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, and Discover) ????24/7/365 telephone driver support via a toll free number on all charging stations ????Smart Grid ready with built in Utility Grade Capable Metering, Time of Use (TOU) pricing and Demand Response (DR) control ????Smart Phone applications to find unoccupied stations, navigate to them, and operate them????Low operating cost through remote monitoring, alerts, diagnosis, and control

“Charge Northwest is working closely with cities and businesses to make our community EV ready,” said Jim Billmaier founding partner of Charge Northwest and regional distributor of ChargePoint solutions. “The Bellevue Collection is demonstrating their leadership by installing and showcasing the first networked charging stations for their customers.”

About ChargePoint America
The $37 million ChargePoint America program is made possible by a $15M grant funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the Department of Energy. ChargePoint America will provide 4,600 public and home ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations by October 2011, adding to the existing ChargePoint Network. Coulomb will work together with its distribution and industry partners to evaluate the demand from the respective geographic regions and allocate charging stations based on this and other factors. The ChargePoint America project will collect data characterizing vehicle use and charging patterns, and Purdue University and Idaho National Labs will analyze the data. For more program information, visit http://www.chargepointamerica.com.

About The Bellevue Collection
Located in the heart of Bellevue, Washington, The Bellevue Collection includes Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place and Lincoln Square. With a distinctive collection of 250 of the finest shops, 23 sit-down restaurants, a 16-screen premier cinema, 700 luxury hotel rooms and 10,000 free retail parking spaces, all in one location. The Bellevue Collection is an experience unlike any other in the region. It is located on Bellevue Way between NE 4th and NE 10th Street in downtown Bellevue, just across Lake Washington from Seattle.

# # #

Cheryl Engstrom

425-417-1395
Email Information

View the original article here

Origin of Electric Vehicles And Their Prospects In Current Scenario

An electric vehicle also known by the name of electric drive vehicle is a type of vehicle that makes use of electric motors for impulsion. This form of vehicle came into existence in the mid nineteenth century. At that time it was a preferable mode of travelling. People were fond of the comfort and ease to handle this form of vehicle that was not achieved by gasoline motor vehicle at that time. Electric cars, trains, electric aeroplanes, boats, motorcycles, lorries, scooters and spacecraft mobile vehicles are some of the standard electric vehicles.

There are many pros and cons of electric vehicles. Though, with the gradual decline in the level of gasoline resources and fossil fuels, electricity has once again taken the limelight to propel vehicles. The electric vehicles differ from traditional motor vehicles in a form that they are operated by electricity. There are broader methods of producing electricity, for example it can be generated by fossil fuels, wind energy, solar energy, tidal power, nuclear energy or by combination of any of them. The energy produced can then be used in the vehicles with the help of overhead lines, inductive charging mode or by making a direct connection with the help of electric cables. The electric energy is then stored in the vehicles in batteries, supercapicitors or flywheels.

Toyota Prius has launched a hybrid electric-gasoline vehicle in the year 2003. It was the first electric vehicle of its type at that time. There are several other auto companies which are looking to experiment in the upcoming years as well after its success.

For more detail on Electric Vehicles
Visit: http://www.warequip.com.au

Electric Vehicles

Are we ready for "Electric Vehicles and lithium ion batteries" Tired of swiping your debit card or even worse your credit card into the machine to pump fuel ? Tired of dishing out your hard earned cash to the oil companies.

Ever thought that there has to be a better way?

The future will bring about change. Is America ready for a change? The answer as it stands right now is "maybe?" The reality is that we are slowly moving toward better and efficient vehicles. Grasping new driving concepts like the "Hybrid Vehicles" , or cleaner burning diesel engines. These new concepts are beginning to be accepted and are more common place as we see them driving on our streets and highways. As we move into the next decade will consumers start to entertain further thoughts of what new found technology will bring? Will they look into electric vehicles that may require a totally different concept?

The reality is not really. Consumers will not be ready to jump into something radically new. We have all seen those "futuristic vehicles" that look like they are ready to fly us away to distance galaxies. However we are not ready to run right out and by one or place our families into something like that. What we are ready for is making the jump into something that looks and feels normal. We all want to adapt to a lighter environmental impact on fuel emissions and want better fuel economy . However breaking in new technology requires sizable funding for research and develop and proper advertisement.

There are many advantages of owning an electric vehicle over a combustion engine.

Electricity is far cheaper then fuel. Projections state that you will pay @$1.00 in electricity to every $4.00 in gasoline.

The second factor is that you wont create any pollution no more harmful emissions.

You wont have to maintain the engine as you would a combustion engine.

No need for oil changes, or emission checks.

Convenience of being able to refuel at home.

One final point is that you will never have to go to a gas station again.

An electric vehicle or "EV" is powered by an electric motor instead of a combustion engine. The EV, gets its power from a controller, which regulates the amount of power. The more you press on the accelerator the more power comes from thecontroller.

The electric vehicle uses power stored in its rechargeable batteries. The batteries are charged by ordinary electricity. New advancement in batteries such as the "lithium ion batteries give the must efficiency and last the longest. Projections are now given that some of these newer vehicles maybeable to run run as far as 125 miles or better.

There are many automobile makers now that are developing the new "EV's"

Telsa motors has developed a car named the "Telsa Roadster" the manufacturer states that this vehicle can do 0 - 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Very impressive!!!!

General Motors is due to bring out the new "Volt" sometime in 2010.

Mitsubishi is due to bring out its new "i-MiEV" release will be in Japan.

Subaru will release the new "Stella" EV sometime in late 2009 or early 2010.

Ford Motor company is coming out with several new models.

China has plans to sell "plug-in-electric-cars" in the United States Market as early as next year. The vehicle will be called the "EV" named "E6" will be a five passenger car that can be fully charged in seven to ten hours when plugged into a 110 volt plug.

There website also says that there will be four different types of motors available. With an upgrade of utilizing two electric motors for more power and better accelerations.

Investors and governments will have to evaluate and consider carefully all the new and alternative types of fuels.

New forms of info structures will have to be developed. New ways to approach driving. Will we be prepared to drive a vehicle around for a day then park it in the garage and recharge it overnight? Most people drive there vehicles back and forth to work with an occasional errand after work. In reality they may drive less then 50 miles, so the concept of an electric vehicle will work. Traveling further distances or cross country will require sweeping changes as will need to design new and proper ways for refueling.

Lastly the twenty first century will be remembered as a turning point in the new era of different types of vehicles.

As battery technologies improves proportionality with advancements of different composites we will soon be seeing more useful and electrifying electric vehicles are you ready for it?

Keep "Thinking Green" my friends.

Every Child's Desire - Electric Vehicles

I don't know about everyone else but if you just ask the children they'll tell you they're entirely for electric vehicles. It doesn't matter what sort either. Build all the vehicles electric! After all, electric vehicles are captivating and easy to apply not mention light on the pocketbook when it comes to buying gas.

What's The Attraction?

Perhaps it's the fact that electric vehicles run in an astounding and mysterious silent way. That's got the bellowing, gut pounding internal combustion noises beaten hands down. Silence, it seems, is linked with thinking - at least conscious thinking takes place in the silence. Issues of reality and style and form and dreaming are all part of this silent phenomenon.

Some Food For Thought

If every child desires electric vehicles, perhaps that's the place to begin marketing them. Awhile back, my wife and I helped move a Barbie Jeep. It's an electric powered child sized vehicle and is too heavy for just one person to lift. Nonetheless, the toy is very popular and we both considered climbing in and take it for a whirl. It's amusing, adventurous, and even parents love it.

Balancing Safety and Weight

Back in the real world, one of the major undecided electric vehicle issues that remain is that of weight vs. safety. Numerous models of Italian, Swiss and Chinese ones already exist on the market but few models meet U.S. requirements for highway safety. The problem is that electric vehicles are made light for efficiency sake. The required battery storage brings a lot of weight but not where it counts.

Chrysler presented an electric vehicle in California back in 2000 that was in reality a glorified, weather resistant golf cart. There was more marketing hoopla than genuine interest but the giant automaker did meet its EPA mileage goals that year.

Slower speeds linked with around town driving are more suitable for electric vehicles. Maybe with new, lighter electrical storage technologies we'll see heavier ones that can practically meet rigorous safety requirements, but it hasn't occurred yet.

All the same, the draw for electric vehicles continues. Considering the state of the world we will probably see some kind of renewable energy vehicle successfully enter the marketplace in the close future. Whether it will be an electric car or one powered by fuel cell, the concluding vote is still out.

For more great tips and advice on hybrid cars, go to the The Hybrid Cars Blog. Click here for the cheapest prices on hybrid cars.

Electric Vehicles on the Verge of a Breakthrough in 2011

At the turn between 2010 and 2011, a spate of media stories articulated how electric vehicles (or just EVs) saw a major breakthrough in 2010, with commercial models being released to great success (Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Volt). In the UK the government started as of January 01st 2011 to give grants to drivers buying electric vehicles.

There are several reasons for the success of EVs. First, a better, wider charging infrastructure is being built, which helps mitigate what has become known as 'range anxiety' in EV-speak. The arrival of home chargers is also another great incentive to EV adoption. More efficient battery technology is also offering better performance, and consequently increasing the attractiveness of electric vehicles.

According to Pike Research analyst, John Gartner, by the end of 2011 there will be another 50,000 EVs across America. There will be new models from manufacturers such as Think, Coda, Mitsubishi, Mini, Toyota and Chevrolet. This shows that major auto players are now including EVs in the center of their development strategies.

One company that invests considerably to make electric vehicles a mainstream reality is General Electric (GE). In the second semester of 2010, the technology giant announced it will buy 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015, effectively converting its fleet to electricity. Also in 2010 GE researchers announced a dual battery system for hybrid transit bus, which could cut battery costs by 20 per cent. It mixes a sodium battery and a lithium battery, combining acceleration performance of passenger EVs with power storage that large industrial batteries can offer.

On the negative side, critics say EVs are as green as the source of electricity that feeds into them; if they derive their power from fuel or coal electricity, then they are not really green. That is a genuine concern but some people would argue that even when charged with power that comes from dirty sources, electric cars still win out in comparison with average vehicles and match the cleanest hybrids. Even in the worst case scenarios, the use of electric vehicles results in a net positive emissions trade-off. The conclusion was drawn by a study carried out by the Electrification Coalition and took into account the whole life cycle of several types of cars and several types of gases, such as carbon dioxide, sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury.

Another critical piece came from a recent study conducted by Oxford University, which argued that mass adoption of electric vehicles in countries with dirty power supplies would make global warming worse and not mitigate it, as supporters claim. In countries like China and India electric vehicles would increase CO2 emissions, the study says.

The jury is still out on this one and it seems like that an EV's eco-friendliness depends on the energy mix in the region where it is used. But what is a fact is that 2010 marked a turning point for EVs, with growing interest on the part of the industry as well as the public, besides stronger official support. 2011 is very likely to witness an upward trend for vehicles that run on electricity.

For more information on alternative energy, please visit our website.

Are Extended Range Electric Vehicles the Way to Go?

Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs), or Range Extended Electric Vehicles (REEVs) like the Chevy Volt, may be the up-and-coming, but are they the answer in the high-efficiency vehicle race?

The Challenge: Find an alternative fuel vehicle that is cost effective and efficient.

The Contenders: the fully electric vehicle (EV) and the plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

The Problem: traditional EVs have a limited range, usually 100 miles or less, requiring extensive highway and city infrastructure to support longer trips.

The Solution: Integrate another fuel source to supplement and extend the range of the EV.

The Caveat: The need for additional infrastructure for the supplemental fuel source.

Obviously the infrastructure for gasoline as a fuel source is already established, so that is the logical choice. However, while the gasoline-based PHEV may reduce consumption, it doesn't eliminate the use of polluting, petroleum based substances. You'll notice that I am not even discussing typical hybrids, because, as I have said in other articles, they are not an alternative fuel vehicle. They run on gasoline only. You can't supplement them with any other form of energy. They merely use the electric drive system to reduce fuel consumption (which is, incidentally, a testament to the fact that electric motors are highly efficient). Thus the rising popularity of enthusiasts who convert their Prius' into PHEVs. Therefore, the PHEV seems a good intermediate solution to weaning us from the oil companies. But it comes at a price. While retail prices have not been released, most experts are anticipating plug-in hybrids to cost between $30,000 and $40,000. You can add a Hymotion plug-in kit to your Prius today for around $10,000.

The electric hydrogen hybrid seems a good candidate for extending range. Hydrogen cell vehicles use an electo-chemical reaction within the fuel cell as the hydrogen is mixed with oxygen to make water to create a powerful electrical current. However, most hydrogen fuel cell vehicles being produced and slated for production use only the single fuel source, requiring a hydrogen infrastructure to support them. It has been shown that hydrogen can be easily produced with domestic sources, but fueling stations must be implemented or they will run up against the same problem as the EV - short range travel only -- albeit a bit longer than the EV (200 miles or more). Even to make a plug-in hydrogen vehicle wouldn't address the range/infrastructure problem. But it would make it more versatile.

There are a myriad of other combustible fluids that could be used as an alternative fuel source. Some examples: compressed natural gas (CNG), Propane (LPG), ethanol, methanol (and all the other 'anols), ammonia -- keeping in mind that hydrogen is also a carrier for combustible fuel and a usable supplement when mixed with one of these other sources, making it a diverse flex-fuel and fuel-efficiency option as well. Each has their own advantages and drawbacks. When each solution is considered against public goals of pollution control, independence from foreign oil and improving domestic economy, each of them ranks differently for each goal. Alternative fuels are the future. It's not a question of "if," it's a question of "when." Which car you will be driving in the next 10 years will likely come down to regional availability of fuels and which option your community and region embraces.

But electric cars have a universal advantage: Electricity is everywhere. There is already an infrastructure in place that is easily accessible at small capacity and requires only the "fueling" facilities and the "quick-charge" technology to scale up to larger capacity. Granted, you can't take a cross-country trip in your electric car today. But tomorrow is approaching faster than you think. The initiatives are already in place in many states to launch the infrastructure that can handle larger capacity electric driving. As it catches on, it is only going to be a matter of time before you can drive across country in your EV.

Buy a PHEV if you must, but first consider the alternative: convert a car to electric for short range driving and keep a gas or diesel powered vehicle for longer trips. Or, even rent a vehicle for longer trips. That's something you can do today, and then you will be a step ahead of tomorrow.

"To reduce oil dependence, nothing would do more good more quickly than making cars that could connect to the electric grid." - David Sandalow, U.S. Department of Energy.

Technical specialist, Do-it-yourself-er and writer, J.D. Kennedy offers down-to-earth reviews and suggestions for everyday alternative energy products, books and DIY guides at http://www.CleanEnergySolutionZ.com. New posts are constantly being added, so check back regularly or subscribe.

If you want to get a jump start on converting your car, truck or SUV to electric, the most up-to-date EV conversion book was written by Gavin Shoebridge, the New Zealander who converted his own car from scratch with no prior experience and posted it on YouTube. You can read the EV book review on my web site, or if you are serious about moving forward, you can go ahead and try Electric Conversion Made Easy [http://www.EV-Secrets.info/] .