I see a need for charging stations to be conveniently located just about everywhere for these types of cars to become mainstream. The more I consider the options, the more I realize Toyota approach is a good one. Smaller battery, charged more often and more quickly. I'd rather see the automakers invest in widespread charging station establishment, than bigger, more expensive batteries. That would keep the price of the battery down, reduce the resource demand for their manufacture, thus makeing more available. Matter of fact, I think the manufacture of every BEV and PHV should require the install of a public charging station, 1 for 1 for the next couple years or so. I don't mind a little walking, so even something centrally located for a shopping area is fine.
I think it's the stores, malls, business associations, civic improvement districs, etc that will install and benefit from a charging infrastructure. This is a copy of an email I sent in March to the Mayor of Woodstock, GA: Hello Mayor Henriques: I just wanted to say Thanks for the Electric Vehicle Recharging station in the Downtown Woodstock area. I just acquired a Toyota Prius Plug-in and my wife and I have used this several times while patronizing the restaurants in the area. As electric, and Plug-in Hybrid Electric vehicles gain popularity, I’m sure this model will help cities across Georgia to attract customers to downtown businesses. And this was his reply: "Thanks for taking the time to tell us. We have been trying to figure a way to measure the usuage, beside electric used. Good to know it's being used."
What's needed is for technology to advance so people can have appropriate battery capacity, which primarily depends on your driving patterns. And while I'd like to see investment in some public charging to increase the ability for people to own PEVs I'd really like to see investment that makes it easier for people to use bicycles for shorter trips and public transportation for both short and long trips. Bicycles have extremely high mpb* and effective public transportation has high pmpg**. * Miles per banana ** Passenger miles per gallon.
Check out Denver Bikes | Denver Bike Sharing Program | B-Cycle | bcycle.com Its an intersting model, with rentals at the bus stations I use, so I can take the bus from colorado springs and grab a bicycle for the day.. Price is a bit wired.. $8 access fee for the day and then 0-30 min usage is free + $1 you you keep it 30-60 min and $4 for every hour after that. But you can pick it up at one spot (like where I get the bus) and drop it off at another (like by the CU campus). Tricky if they drop off spot is "full" as you cannot check in. Overall its Very nice, though I get more mile per burger than miles per banana. I have taken the bus and left my volt at home...
For those of us interested in fostering EV vehicle usage, widespread infrastructure is the definitely the key. That was a nice letter to the Mayor of Woodstock GA. I am going to email our City Council in HB who announced EV charging to be installed by October, 2011, in "Locations include Pier Plaza, Main Street Promenade parking structure, the Civic Center parking lot, Bella Terra parking structure and the Sunset Vista RV parking lot", and nothing is happening. I have emailed Costco regarding reinstating the EV charging parking that they took out last year, and sent Twitter messages to Walmart and Walgreens about non-EVs parked in their EV parking spots. From Twitter I received fast responses looking into this issue. We must continue to be vigilant if we want these vehicles to take off sooner rather than later.
While I love my new PHEV, my favorite concept is what Better Place (Better Place | The Global Provider of EV Networks and Services.) is doing. They've started in select locations, and as they roll out cars, they're also putting up special charging stations designed for their cars. Here's how it works: You buy a car and commit to using X miles of electricity per year; the more you commit to, the cheaper the car. For a cab driver, the car's almost free. The battery has a range of about 100 miles, and will withstand approximately 2000 charges. When your battery is low, you pull into a charge station and swap out the battery--without leaving your car--in about 3 minutes. The station *recognizes* your car so billing is automated; within 3 minutes you're on the road again with a fully-charged battery. It's cool technology; the battery is beneath the car, where it's replaced by robots in the stations; be sure to see the video. The downside: it only works if there are stations everywhere, which is why they're rolling this out in select areas. If this were all over the US, I feel strongly that it would be wildly popular; meanwhile, I love my new Prius PHEV!
Unfortunately, some cities just don't work well for bicycles; here in Nashville, the city is so spread out that bike travel for anything but recreation just isn't feasible. I can go almost 35 miles across Nashville and still be in what is generally considered still Nashville.
Isn't the important question whether you can get to what you want to? No one is forcing you to circumnavigate the city are they?
I too like the better place model.. the only BEV/PHEV model that really works well for apartment dwellers and street parkers. Also would work well for long distance trips, though its better with bigger packs, 24kw 100m per charge its where they are aiming. Until those really exist, I'll be happily driving my Volt, as there are not enough charging opportunities in CO yet ;-)
It's like the schemes in Paris (where it started) and London but it looks targeted at people who'll pay the annual fee. Costs | Cycling | Transport for London
