At todays electricity rates what would the cost be for a full charge at a charging station and for charging the car at home. Also, if electrics cars became prevelent, how will this impact the power plants that produce electricity. Will the increased demand for electricity generate more polution from the power plants that use either coal or fossil fuels to produce that product? Also considering the initial price of an all electric auto versus a conventional fossil fueled auto, the cost of replacing the batteries in the electric car when needed, and the cost in electrical bills for charging said electric car, what would the difference in operational costs of the two be?

There is an old addage…..There is no such thing as a free lunch!

No, there is no polution generated from driving an electric car but, how much more pollution will be generated for the tremendous increased need from the power companies for electricity needed to charge these cars when they become very numerous.

At todays electricity rates what would the cost be for a full charge at a charging station and for charging the car at home. Also, if electrics cars became prevelent, how will this impact the power plants that produce electricity. Will the increased demand for electricity generate more polution from the power plants that use either coal or fossil fuels to produce that product? Also considering the initial price of an all electric auto versus a conventional fossil fueled auto, the cost of replacing the batteries in the electric car when needed, and the cost in electrical bills for charging said electric car, what would the difference in operational costs of the two be?

There is an old addage…..There is no such thing as a free lunch!

No, there is no polution generated from driving an electric car but, how much more pollution will be generated for the tremendous increased need from the power companies for electricity needed to charge these cars when they become very numerous.

In response to “ChuckL”‘s comment, we have thousands of acres of parking lots and rooftops that can be covered with solar panels before we start covering wildlife habitats. A community college in my area has already done this, and the results are great. The college gets electricity from the panels, and the people who park their cars in that lot get to park in the shade.

In response to “ChuckL”‘s comment, we have thousands of acres of parking lots and rooftops that can be covered with solar panels before we start covering wildlife habitats. A community college in my area has already done this, and the results are great. The college gets electricity from the panels, and the people who park their cars in that lot get to park in the shade.

There is also talk in the UK (and U.S.) of making charging stations fueled by solar panels, which I think would be a good idea for these charging stations to make things even more eco friendly.

There is also talk in the UK (and U.S.) of making charging stations fueled by solar panels, which I think would be a good idea for these charging stations to make things even more eco friendly.

Electric vehicle charging stations are nothing new, but unfortunately the ones here in San Luis Obispo sat empty for most of their lives. I read over a year ago that there were more charging stations than cars which could use them in San Luis Obispo County. Now since charging interfaces have changed (the SLO chargers were the inductive paddle types), they would have to be retrofitted, using more taxpayer dollars.

Let’s all hope the new charging interface sticks, and that private charging services emerge.

Ripe4Change, good for you, you got hold of the naysayer line from 2004. Read a bit before you spew your ignorance.

Electric vehicle charging stations are nothing new, but unfortunately the ones here in San Luis Obispo sat empty for most of their lives. I read over a year ago that there were more charging stations than cars which could use them in San Luis Obispo County. Now since charging interfaces have changed (the SLO chargers were the inductive paddle types), they would have to be retrofitted, using more taxpayer dollars.

Let’s all hope the new charging interface sticks, and that private charging services emerge.

Ripe4Change, good for you, you got hold of the naysayer line from 2004. Read a bit before you spew your ignorance.

I converted a 94 Tercel to electric last summer (http://www.zerogasoline.com) and I’ve cut my transportation costs down about 75%. If my small town were to add a charging station somewhere, I could drive 100% electric and sell my Jetta.

I converted a 94 Tercel to electric last summer (http://www.zerogasoline.com) and I’ve cut my transportation costs down about 75%. If my small town were to add a charging station somewhere, I could drive 100% electric and sell my Jetta.