Comments on: Top 10 Electric Car Makers

By: Donna

Donna — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 04:24:34 +0000

All the talk about 100% electric and solar cars. Those cars won’t have a big market. If you look at it from a car maker’s perspective, they have to build what will sell. A 100% electric car sounds great. I and lots of others would love one. But it’s not practical. Last year my power was out for days due to an ice storm. I was able to make it via car to local Target and buy emergency supplies. That wouldn’t have been possible if I’d been unlucky enough for my car not to be sufficiently charged. Or if my charge starts going out, esp. as the car gets older and the battery gets weaker…it’s not like I can pull in somewhere and fill-er-up in a few minutes. I have a serious problem if my charge goes out when I’m gadding about town. Going to visit my family out of state would be out of the question…no EV car to date can make it that far. Rent a car? Okay. Will the rental agency let me leave my car there, fully secured and protected, while I rent a car? Probably not. And solar…that will only work in a truly sunny area, and then only when you don’t rely on the car for must-do tasks, like going to work every day. Those would be good options for a second car. But for those of us who can only have one car, it has to be dependable, and you have to be able to fill-er-up in a few minutes. So the combo electric-gas seems to fit that need. That’s why those cars are being made sooner and more of them. If you were a car maker, that’s what you’d do, too. (Also, let’s not forget that the tax credits up to Dec. 2010 were for hybrids, not plug-ins. Tax credits for electric kick in this year, so that’s at least partly why electrics are coming into the market now, it seems.) I’m going to take a serious look at the new plug-ins and see if I can buy one. Hope they’re not out of my price range (with the tax credit).

By: tom Cosgrove

tom Cosgrove — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:02:03 +0000

John,
Good article on EVs and PHEVs; driving will never be the same! Quick question: I produce green fairs for corporate employees to educate them as to what’s available in the green marketplace. I’ve been trying to get a Nissan Leaf and other EVs to come and exhibit at my events but the dealers have no show room models to demo as they are sold out for 2 years in advance! Any idea of how to contact EV car clubs or EV enthusiasts who may want to show off their EV? I’m in the San Francisco bay area. Thanks and keep feeding us the latest in EV/PHEV.

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Sun, 06 Mar 2011 23:10:25 +0000

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2010 Nissan LEAF EV on a Freeway Near You | Clean Fleet Report — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 23:09:26 +0000

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By: Scott

Scott — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:32:39 +0000

Remember the original costs of the flat screen TV? These costs will come down as well.

As far as using electricity (from utilities burning coal) it is still slightly more environmentally friendly than using gas directly and I expect charging it with solar, wind etc. will become increasingly more common.

As far as miles per charge go remember the average daily miles driven by US citizens in roughly 29-35 miles. Imagine if all two car families drove the electric for daily use and saved the big SUV for those rare long hauls. That alone would be a huge step in the right direction.

By: Ya But Can Your Electric Car Park Itself? | silencingscience

Ya But Can Your Electric Car Park Itself? | silencingscience — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:47:40 +0000

[...] including General Motors, Ford, Nissan and Mitsubishi, have all released or will be releasing electric model cars in 2011, but the wind seems to be gone from their sails (or sales). The hype around electric vehicles has [...]

By: jimmy c

jimmy c — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 02:05:24 +0000

Ask yourself why cars back in the seventies (small cars) got better milliage than the small ones today,40 years later, then ask yourself who stands to gain from low milliage cars and its not hard to figure out why there,s no electrics that are afforable to the average consumer.We have the technogly to build a fantastic electric car with total solar and wind and kinetic energy etc,but big oil and the powers that be haven,t found a way to put a meter on it,so as to get their share,thats why the delay.When electrics fill the market place eventually you can bet the cost of operating it will be about what gas cars are now. Its hard to beat,em at their own game.

By: paul wied

paul wied — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:16:32 +0000

every city should promote rentals of plug-in RIDES!

By: paul wied

paul wied — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:09:46 +0000

i should think total electric at three/charge with no pollution is WISE, FINALLY not depending on Arab oil. when home i use a bicycle ALSO EVERYONE must pitchin!