A major objection to a world of all electric cars is whether or not the current electrical grid has the capacity to support them. When the first influx of EV’s hit the street, the sudden need for an excess amount of electrical surges while charging the cars could cause a problem. A blackout that cascades throughout the country would be a disaster of epic proportions. Yet I read in a recent blog that a man named Shai Agassi is pushing for an all- electric infrastructure in Israel. His idea is that a network similar to the cell phone network could be created in order to support the existence of EV’s. The cost of transitioning to a network of charging stations could be covered with monthly fees paid by the users, rather than paying for each charge on the spot like we do when we stop to fill up with gasoline. In addition these stations could also support plug-in hybrids, which need to charge as well. Once again I have to stress as I have before that while an electric charging network for EV’s is a great idea, we must think about the methods used at the source of creating the electricity in the first place. Is it being created primarily through the use of coal burning or through the use of natural forces like wind? Burning coal is more harmful to the environment than automobile emissions. Agassi has plans to remake the grid entirely in order to support his vision. He and his company “Better Place” plan to have all of this in motion by the year 2011 and hope to spread to Denmark and the U.S. shortly after. [1] As a country we definitely need to step up our use of green alternatives to gasoline. Europe has always been ahead of us in creating eco friendly cars such as mini cars, the use of clean diesel and bio-diesel, etc. While GM has definitely shown the desire to find the next alternative to gasoline powered vehicles they have yet to release that groundbreaking car that will change the shape of American thinking towards the automobiles they purchase and drive. Personally I am looking forward to a red, white and blue “green” car!

Last update : 09-11-2008 03:01

Average user rating

   (0 vote)