The current tax credit for plug in hybrid and electric
vehicles in the US is $7500.
Several states are allowing
additional credits of up to
$45,000....the tax credit for
a Colorado resident driving
a Tesla Roadster!
No new power plants are needed to meet the demands
of plug in vehicles. In a 2007
study by the US Department
of Energy, the DOE calculated
that the existing grid could
meet the needs of 78% of all
cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs
in the US. That's the equivalent of more than 178
million plug in vehicles!
Mitsubishi's new electric vehicle, the i-MEV, is capable of recharging 80% of its capacity in less than 20 minutes!
The average cost to recharge a plug in electric is $4.00.
A plug in hybrid, $2.25.
In years past, many ( if not most! ) of the electric vehicles available to the consumer left much to be desired, especially in the styling department. One blogger went so far as to say that "...there are people in the industry who are slowly but surely killing this market....by creating vehicles that no one, NO ONE would be caught dead behind the wheel of..."
How times have changed. Many of the current plug in vehicles, planned or already in production, are as attractive, well-made, and practical as any production vehicle available today. These two are in my opinion, the most noteworthy.
The Tesla Roadster
The Tesla Roadster was introduced in 2007. Powered by a 248hp AC electric motor and packing 6831 lithium-ion cobalt cells, the Tesla is the first mass-produced EV to offer serious real-world range and driveability. The majority of the Tesla is designed and built by Lotus in Hethel, England, then shipped to the Tesla factory in San Carlos, California, for the installation of its electric drivetrain and related components. The Tesla will recharge in 3.5 hours with 240 volts, or 8 hours with a standard 110 volt input. The Tesla is about performance: it storms to 60 mph from a standstill in only 4 seconds and on through the quarter mile in 12.7 seconds @ 105 mph. Those numbers place it squarely in exotic car territory, with more to come: the recently introduced Sport version will be quicker still. A quick scan of posts on message boards confirm that Tesla's range claims are substantiated, with most owners exceeding 250 miles per recharge. With a base price of $109,000, the Tesla is far from cheap. But as the saying goes, being the first on your block is seldom inexpensive.
The Fisker Karma
Some would say that a slightly more ambitious project is the creation of the Fisker Karma. Led by talented designer Henrik Fisker, Fisker Automotive will begin deliveries in 2010 of the Karma, a stunningly beautiful four door sports sedan powered by a 402 hp electric drivetrain and costing $87,900. The Karma can drive up to 50 miles on battery power alone until its 260 hp gas engine kicks in, powering a generator which in turn charges the lithium-ion battery pack. Unlike conventional hybrids, the gas engine does not power the wheels in any way. Fisker has raised eyebrows, both with his claims of price and delivery times, but don't bet against him- he has a strongly deserved reputation in the industry for making good on his promises. Fisker will outsource the assembly of the Karma to an outside firm, Valmet Automotive of Finland. Fisker is well capitalized too: with 200 million in venture capital and a recently awarded $582 million low-interest loan from the US government, it is pretty safe to assume that they will be around for some time to come.
With four seats and four doors, The Fisker is the first serious entry in the EV market that could feasibly replace a conventional automobile. One can easily envision how practical it could be for drivers with shorter commutes, especially less than 50 miles.
Fisker hopes to sell 15,000 Karmas annually, with deliveries scheduled to begin in December 2010. We wish him well....
