Germany Wants One Million Electric Cars on the Road by 2020
In a conference on the future of electric transportation, the German government has detailed a major plan to put one million electric and plug-in hybrid cars on the country’s roads within the next 11 years.
The sweeping plan includes a large amount of funding for advanced battery development, investment in an electric car charging infrastructure, and tax credits for the adoption of electric cars and plug-in hybrids. Conceived by four separate German agencies — the departments of Economics, Transport, Environment, and Education/Research — the plan is on track to be signed into actual law at the beginning of the next German legislative session.
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As reported by Green Car Congress, Germany’s stated goals are to become a leader in electric car technology, become an energy independent nation, and provide all of the electricity needed for charging the vehicles from “renewable sources.”
German auto manufacturers have been developing electric and plug-in hybrids over the last several years. Mini is the first German auto manufacturer to come to market with an electric car, the Mini E, but both Daimler (electric Smart car) and VW (Golf Twin Drive) have electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle prototypes as well.
If Germany’s succcessful in this goal, they’ll certainly be an electric car force to be reckoned with. However, as I’ve said before, and using Mini’s attitude towards electric vehicle development as a guide, the Germans will have to be more open with electric powertrain development if they want to be dominant in future worldwide electric car markets.
Photo Credit: respres’s Flickr photostream under a Creative Commons License.
Source: Green Car Congress
Here a very nice part of the interview:
” In Germany we introduced, based on the Renewable Energy Act in the last year, new renewable energy power production. Only the result of one year, additional investments in 2007 lead to, alone this, three percent of the total electric power demand; a result of one year.
If we would have in the next twenty-five years the same introduction rate like last year, we would have in twenty-five years a hundred percent. We are a small country with only three hundred and fifty thousand square kilometers, with eighty-five million people, highly industrialized. It means high energy demand.
What is possible in Germany is possible everywhere.”
Now image 1 million EV’s that can hold for example 20 million kW of energy and connect them to the grid. And this is only the beginning. EV’s can solve a back-up problem so even less traditional back-up systems are needed. And if the people themselves can make (Wind -solar) and distribute power the future will look brighter for all of us.
A lot of countries would like to see more electric vehicles on the road, for the simple reason of reducing emissions. Electric is the most easily available and viable of all alternative energy auto solutions. As for electricity coming from coal plants, even if you factor in the emissions from the coal plants, the level of emissions from an EV are far lower than a regular IC vehicle.
This whole idea is half-baked. What’s gonna happen when people use less fuel? The price will go down.
Now what I’m gonna do once energy costs less? I’m gonna heat my pool more often.
People have been brainwashed into thinking that the use of energy is evil. I have news for you: the Universe is energy. Every last stinking cubic centimeter of the infinite universe is *full* of energy and matter, which are interchangeable.
Repeat after me: Energy is Good! Use it and enjoy life!
American car makers are too busy lobbying for lower standards and begging for money to notice.
Penso que o etanol não é alternativa para nenhum país, visto que onde moro (Brasil) substituíram a cultura de alimentos básicos pela da cana e isto só fez aumentar o custo dos alimentos. Acho que o carro elétrico resolverá, num futuro próximo este problema.