Owning an electric vehicle sounds like a pain in the a s s

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Who Are The EV Charging Station Players?

Asked what distinguishes his company’s electric-vehicle (EV) charger, ECOtality CEO Jonathan Read, said, “The most important thing is, we are the smarter charger.” Asked the same question, Read’s counterpart at Coulomb Technologies, Richard Lowenthal, said, “We invented smart charging.”

As Nissan rolls out its all-electric Leaf and GM its extended-range Chevy Volt in the coming months, these two Bay Area-based companies — much smaller than the car giants, but no less hopeful that Americans will embrace electric vehicles (EV) — are maneuvering to be the choice for people needing to plug in.

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Nissan has partnered with AeroVironment to equip new Leaf buyers for $2,200, and GM hooked up with SPX Service Solutions, who will sell and install their charger for around the same price. And there are others. But why buy what you can get for free? If you have a garage or carport, with the EV Project and ChargePoint, free charging stations “should last through 2011, so it’ll be a good year to buy a vehicle,” Lowenthal said.

(It’s worth noting that “free” in this case applies to those whose homes have adequate electrical service — 200 amp or higher — for the 220-240 volt Level 2 chargers the companies are offering. Older homes might not, and will require upgrades. That could add costs running into the thousands, although tax credits and rebates at the federal, state and local levels could be available.)

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The guess is that the vast majority of charging will be done at home. This is a little surprising to hear given that the companies have spent so much time talking about public stations, and that the DOE is financing the installation of so many of them.

“There are a percentage of people who don’t have a garage, who are parking their car on the street,” Read explained. Plus, public charging stations are a tool in reassuring a public who might be scared off from EVs by the dreaded range anxiety. Lowenthal pointed to a UC Davis study that found that 80 percent of people believe they will want to charge more than once a day. “Our mission is to insure that if you are thinking about buying a car,” Lowenthal said, “you don’t hesitate because of fueling concerns.”

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ECOtality is counting on a subscription-based business model for charging service, similar to mobile-phone service. Fast Company reported that ECOtality will charge $20 to $50 per month for subscriptions, but details are fuzzy and attempts to clarify what EV drivers who get a Level 2 charger from ECOtality through the EV Project can expect to pay went unanswered.

[chri'stina 190]

You need to open your eyes to the world of electric vehicles. Don't be so closed minded.

[Geode 3]

Hummm - with the Leaf, a trip to my mom's house and back will only require one eight hour recharge. Or, I could just walk the last ten miles. Of course, that will be different in the winter time when the batteries are at minus 20C and I have to use the heater. Oh, and I did not make any green house gases. Well, the electric generation plant did, but they are far away and cannot be seen. Wonderful.

[The_Dude 1,142]

You need to open your eyes to the world of electric vehicles. Don't be so closed minded.

Sorry, I enjoy driving, and I love my car. Why would I torture myself with an electric vehicle?

Buy an electric vehicle. Not only will you get there in triple the time, you'll be laughed at the whole way there.

[mawilson 2,133]

Buy an electric vehicle. Not only will you get there in triple the time, you'll be laughed at the whole way there.

You can drive the Volt without charging it - the gas engine will generate electricity for the electric motor.

It's still more fuel-efficient than a regular car and the range is 300-350 miles.

I don't see what's so painful about it, except the price - it's not exactly cheap, but with federal

and state subsidies, it's not much more expensive than a regular car.

[The_Dude 1,142]

You can drive the Volt without charging it - the gas engine will generate electricity for the electric motor.

It's still more fuel-efficient than a regular car and the range is 300-350 miles.

I don't see what's so painful about it, except the price - it's not exactly cheap, but with federal

and state subsidies, it's not much more expensive than a regular car.

If i'm going to buy a car that has the performance of a mountain bike, I don't want to spend that much on it.

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Putting performance aside, I wonder how much gas has to cost before the Leaf is "worth it"?

[mawilson 2,133]

If i'm going to buy a car that has the performance of a mountain bike

What makes you think it does?

When the Volt starts generating its own electricity, its performance doesn't change a bit.

It has plenty of power, especially with the Sport mode button pressed.

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What makes you think it does?

When the Volt starts generating its own electricity, its performance doesn't change a bit.

It has plenty of power, especially with the Sport mode button pressed.

Have you test driven either the Leaf or the Volt?

[mawilson 2,133]

Have you test driven either the Leaf or the Volt?

No, I've just read a bunch of reviews.

I'm more skeptical about the Leaf because you're effed if you run out of juice. The Volt doesn't have that problem.

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Yeah, I've also heard that the Volt is a superior choice to the Leaf but you pay a lot more for it.

[sly_wolf 199]

I'm waiting for the nuclear powered version.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Putting performance aside, I wonder how much gas has to cost before the Leaf is "worth it"?

$6.50 per gallon is my threshold.

What makes you think it does?

When the Volt starts generating its own electricity, its performance doesn't change a bit.

It has plenty of power, especially with the Sport mode button pressed.

Outside of the Tesla electric vehicles, you can't really talk performance when describing electric vehicle. And with a pricetag of $110K, I think i'd still rather have something else.

[mawilson 2,133]

Yeah, I've also heard that the Volt is a superior choice to the Leaf but you pay a lot more for it.

The sticker price is $41,000, but you get a federal tax credit ($7,500) and some states offer

state tax credits. With the federal credit, the price is $33,500 which isn't much more than

a new Prius.

Georgia and Oregon offer tax credits of $5,000 and $1,500 respectively. In California,

Chevy Volt buyers get nothing, but Leaf buyers get a $5,000 rebate and permission to drive

solo in HOV Lanes. Volt is out of luck because the rebate goes only to "zero-emission

vehicles" (i.e. no tailpipes.)

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33 1/2 is still way more than I've ever paid for a car