Running out of juice: Bay Area electric car dealerships close [San Fran]

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 2/26/10 | Janis Mara

[MamaDearest]

Great stuff! 500 mile extension cords are hard to find also. Expensive too!

A driving range of 100 miles (maybe) certainly would not allow for family vacation trips or long range driving. Topping it off, the "Greenies" want to double our electric rates AND gasoline rates. If they think the economy is in a tailspin now, just wait until they begin to foist this upon us!

Electric cars - a definitive guide

Snip: and will have a projected range of 100 miles.

Cap and trade tax would double utility rates, Wilson says

Rates “would double under the cap-and-tax program. Additionally, gasoline costs would double,” he said.

[thethirddegree]

Based on his Facebook friends,I suggest the cat litter business.

[bmwcyle]

Oh noooooooo loss of green jobs.

[Ditter]

Has anyone ever ventured a guess how much your home electricity bill would go up with the addition of an electric car?

[blackie]

I'll pass on all electric cars, I'll drive my 450HP Ford F150 SVT Lightning:

[CrazyIvan]

As a quarter million mile motorcyclist I would actually feel
safer on my bike than in this thing. No speed or handling to
avoid an accident, and just enough sheet metal to trap you
if you have one.

[egannacht]

Electric cars receive their energy from power plants that are controlled by a central authority eventually nationalized.

Electric cars are about control not logic.

[goodnesswins]

I think you will find your statement more true than ever soon.....if this administration gets their way....we’ll ALL be needing more wagons and wheels....

[hoosierham]

At least TWO of those are seen on the road in my little town of less than 5,000 in Southeastern Indiana.

The really odd fact is these phonebooths on wheeels are not cheap!

Any car that can't go at highway speeds for a couple hours before refueling,and can't refuel in 10 minutes or less at thousands of convenient locations is just not suited for 99% of Americans.

[BradyLS]

Living in Austin, I’ve seen one or two on the highway. From the back, they look a normal-sized car. It’s when you try to pass one (they can’t keep up with traffic) that you realize how tiny it is. I guess it takes some chutzpah to take on on the highway, but I wouldn’t try it. They ain’t cheap, either!

[dools007]

I was in SF last month. Fun town to visit. Observed a trackless trolly—at least that’s what called them in Phillky when I was a kid. Looks like a bus, but is electrically powered via overhead wires.

At any rate, there was a sign on it bragging that the vehicle did not pollute. I wonder what San Franciscans think generates the juice to make the vehicle move.

If you’re planning to visit SF be prepared for very frequent and aggressive pan handling.

[hoosierham]

Natural gas powered cars would be actually “greener” ,have better range,comfort,safety,use proven technology,and be cheaper to operate.

[Nuc1]

What about that Smart car with say...a 2.4L turbo inter cooled ecotech 4 from GM? That would be a rocket and handle like a go-kart. And I believe it would get better mileage than it does now. Oh yeah, that is that go-fast thing again isn't it.

[Nuc1]

Good looking truck that!

[George from New England]

“Natural gas powered cars would be actually “greener” ,have better range,comfort,safety,use proven technology,and be cheaper to operate.”

And make a pretty kaboom in an accident. No thanks.

[truthguy]

LOL...even in the San Fran Bay Area, the very heart and soul of lunatic "green" living, people have common sense

I agree with part of this statement. The part I don't agree with is that people in SF Area have common sense. I've lived here for some time and Bay Area people are among the dumbest creatures walking the earth. The politics here are worst than insane. Nothing gets done quickly or efficiently. The Liberals/Leftists are in control of many institutions and it's frustrating as hell to live in this sea of stupidity. If it were not for the beautiful physical environment and the natural resources that God blessed the area with, this area would be worse than Detriot. It's the most poorly run area this side of New Orleans.

Now as far as electric cars are concerned, there is a fairly limited market. The battery electric vehicle (BEV) can really only be used in areas with moderate climate and as a commute car as well. That's very limiting. But the extended range electric vehicle (EREV) can be a major success. The Chevy Volt will be out in the fall and it's going to really amaze the country. There are going to be doubters on this site who will trash the Volt but most if not all of those folks are ignorant about the car. So I wish people would distinguish between BEV and EREV. EREV has an exciting future and probably many of those who critize it will themselves be driving an EREV in 10 years or less.

[troy McClure]

The Zap Trucks were great commuters.

I reworked them to 96 volts by adding two batteries and replacing the 400 amp controller with a 750 amp.

They would cruise at 60 mph no problem and were quicker off the line than most cars.

I got about 65 mile range of daily driving. The cost was about $15 a month more on the Edison bill.

Drawback was ZAP Motors Inc sucked.

I had orders for over twenty of them and I couldn't get any delivered to me.

I finally just gave up on ZAP.

[Graybeard58]

to benefit the environment and save his fellow Bay Area residents money by selling zero-emission all-electric cars.

Three lies in one sentence.

[maine-iac7]

(white roads)

not to mention the glare of the sun - and, in winter, would make ‘black ice’ seem safe in comparison.

Truly, the lunatics are in charge.

[maine-iac7]

I actually parked next to one of these the other day - here in Maine.

Just as I was getting out of my car, the owner came up and as he opened the door of this atrocity, without thinking, I sneered. (Purely involuntary reaction.)

He looked perplexed but stumped as to a reaction - I'm a white haired ole great granny. I guess he thinks of himself as a savior of mankind.