TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Incentives For Electric Cars Should Also Include Roads

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 14, 2009

New tax incentives to coax automakers into producing electric cars won't help consumers right away. The way to help now would be to make roads safer for the small electric vehicles currently available.

Drivers willing to use electric cars and other slow vehicles need a safe place to operate. Reserving lanes on some major boulevards and highways (excluding interstates and expressways) would immediately encourage commuters to try out a variety of conventional scooters and battery-powered carts and cars.

That approach is being tried elsewhere, but not here.

Among the proposals in the Florida Legislature this session is a bill granting a $2,000 rebate for converting a gas-electric hybrid car to a plug-in hybrid. The bill would also give plug-in cars free use of all Florida toll roads, and provides a $2,000 rebate for installing a public charging station.

The reasons lawmakers want to get electric cars on the road include stimulating the economy, protecting the environment, and reducing dependence on foreign oil.

The electric-car bill is sponsored by Rep. Adam Hasner, House majority leader from Delray Beach. Republican Sen. Thad Altman of Melbourne is sponsoring a similar version, which the Florida Electric Auto Association says "will accelerate the commercialization of highway-capable plug-in electric cars."

Let's hope so. Meanwhile, the federal stimulus package signed into law by President Barack Obama includes a 10 percent tax credit, up to $2,500, for anyone buying a new electric car or truck. It sounds great until you go shopping for an electric car to buy.

Very little is available now. Chevrolet, Ford, Nissan and Subaru are planning to introduce electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids next year or the year after. Volkswagen and Toshiba have agreed to cooperate on developing electric cars. Mitsubishi says it will sell a five-door electric hatchback called the MiEV, maybe later this year.

The best car now seems to be Tesla Motor's roadster, an all-electric sports car with a top speed of 125 mph and a range exceeding 200 miles. There is a three-month wait for this year's improved model, which costs $128,500.

Right now the average electric-car customers must settle for small and slow.

The Neighborhood Electric Vehicle made by Bombardier can be seen in this area, typically on Davis Islands and in Sun City Center. It has characteristics of a golf cart, costs about $7,000, and can go 25 mph.

Miles Electric Vehicles offers a small van that can go 25 miles per hour. At less than max speed, it has a 50-mile range. The base price is $12,000.

The three-wheel Xebra, made by ZAP, costs about the same - $11,700. It will go up to 40 mph and gets up to 25 miles per charge and has won clearance for use on certain roads in Massachusetts.

The company promises a more powerful version next year that can go 75 mph for up to 140 miles, which would make it road worthy anywhere.

Perhaps better vehicles are right around the corner as promised. The track record has been disappointing.

In 1991, the first President George Bush announced plans to improve batteries and make electric cars feasible. It didn't happen.

President Bill Clinton's "Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles" promised it would give us a regular car that could get 80 miles per gallon. Didn't happen. President Bush promised us a FreedomCar that would run on hydrogen. We're still waiting.

Meanwhile, available technology has come up with many cute and serviceable ways to get us to work and back. If only there was road space where the slow, clean traffic wouldn't be creamed by the fast, dirty competition.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT