Get Plugged In

Weren’t we just recently wondering who killed the electric car? Well, not anymore.  Electric vehicles are back on the scene in a big way.  Ford, Chevrolet, Nissan and others are bringing low- to no-emission mobility back to life.  Many consumers are apprehensive though about purchasing an EV due to the limited mileage before needing to be recharged.  Availability of alternative fuel locations other than at home is scarce at the moment.  Without the mainstream infrastructure in place, EVs will mostly be practical in urban areas where people don’t need to drive as much or as long of distances.  The word is catching on though because plans are already in motion to start installing charging stations along highways.

With the support of federally funded programs like The EV Project and West Coast Green Highway, the vision is becoming reality. Oregon, Washington and California have entered into a tri-state agreement to install charging stations (Level 2) along the I-5 highway from Mexico up to Canada.  Every 40-60 miles, you can fill up!  Eventually, “fast chargers” (Level 3) will be found at private retailers all over.  Imagine this, you pull over to grab a quick bite to eat, park and plug in your car, and in a few minutes, you’re car is charged up and ready to go. I don’t think we’ll be imagining for long.   This is a huge shift from our current perception of transportation.  The end result will help to reduce our dependence of foreign oil and impact to the environment.  Let’s see if this time around the electric car will live a full and prosperous life.