Instead of paying 10-20 cents a mile to a number of companies and countries in a some-what free market, we will be moving toward a system where one company, not based in the United States, will have complete control over our fueling infrastructure.
If you weren't aware, the project better place system is like the cell-phone market in the US. You will buy a slightly discounted car but are only able to fill up at exorbitant rates from bp-owned equipment.
On the other hand, cars like the Volt (as if it will ever be built) or a PHEV Prius can be charged at home or any type of outlet. A completely free market with no monopolies. We can't afford to change from a dependence on one fuel to a dependence on a single company.
EDIT:
Well, shoot, maybe I should have read it all. They won't be operating the same as in Israel. Hence this line in the article:
"That’s likely why it was clearly stated that the thousands of Better Place stations to be installed in northern California will be agnostic to the type of electric car"
I will cling to the performance and adrenaline-rushed excitement of driving my 300hp, 6-speed M.T. gasoline-powered car until death (or absolute lack of funds) pries it from my bare hands.
I would rather die of starvation before being forced to drive one of those electric slothboxes.
Then again, that's me, I doubt many of my fellow citizens have the same passion for automotive ecstasy.
Spending initiatives like this are why the wife and I are leaving the state early next year. We don't feel like sticking around when the tax bill comes due, which we'd have to do if we bought a house here.
Evidently the state's not deeply enough in debt yet. With the higher taxes coming up to pay for all this, even more taxpayers and corporations (7,000 in the last few years) will leave, accelerating the financial death spiral.
Apparently not included in the plan: building new power stations, or even any discussion of it.
Anyone got any good numbers on questions like: if half of California's cars were switched to electrical over the next ten years, how many more power stations would the state require?
It depends on how much use they get out of each vehicle and which sort of vehicle they are. I calculated that about ten square meters of mirrors at a solar thermal station would power one average U.S. daily commute with an electric microcar. A low drag vehicle like the Aptera would require around 5 - 6 square meters, instead. Provided that we can get our drivetrain, engine, and regenerative braking as efficient as we think we can, then we can get that down to 3 square meters for a compressed air powered microcar, and less than 1 square meter for a compressed air powered scooter.
[+] [-] noonespecial|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] coryrc|17 years ago|reply
If you weren't aware, the project better place system is like the cell-phone market in the US. You will buy a slightly discounted car but are only able to fill up at exorbitant rates from bp-owned equipment.
On the other hand, cars like the Volt (as if it will ever be built) or a PHEV Prius can be charged at home or any type of outlet. A completely free market with no monopolies. We can't afford to change from a dependence on one fuel to a dependence on a single company.
EDIT:
Well, shoot, maybe I should have read it all. They won't be operating the same as in Israel. Hence this line in the article: "That’s likely why it was clearly stated that the thousands of Better Place stations to be installed in northern California will be agnostic to the type of electric car"
but we should remain vigilant; Magnacharge lobbied the NEC committee to effectively only allow their over-priced, patented charger to comply. See: http://www.repp.org/discussion/ev/199712/msg01052.html
[+] [-] kirse|17 years ago|reply
I would rather die of starvation before being forced to drive one of those electric slothboxes.
Then again, that's me, I doubt many of my fellow citizens have the same passion for automotive ecstasy.
[+] [-] miked|17 years ago|reply
Evidently the state's not deeply enough in debt yet. With the higher taxes coming up to pay for all this, even more taxpayers and corporations (7,000 in the last few years) will leave, accelerating the financial death spiral.
[+] [-] dmix|17 years ago|reply
I find this more interesting then blindly giving millions to charities.
[+] [-] hugh|17 years ago|reply
Anyone got any good numbers on questions like: if half of California's cars were switched to electrical over the next ten years, how many more power stations would the state require?
[+] [-] DaniFong|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] DaniFong|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bprater|17 years ago|reply