by nycScribbler, 10 December 2010

As the New Year approaches, the first mass-market electric cars will go on sale and there’s a lot of buzz on the good and the bad.

The Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, Ford Focus and the Coda are just a few of the cars being debuted. The U.S. government is offering Federal tax benefits for buyers of electric cars. With a price tag of US$40,000, the Coda, (which will initially only be available in California) will cost $32,500 after the tax break.

Electric cars have the potential to reduce dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

So how do they work?

Electric cars are battery-powered and propelled by electric motors. They run on big batteries that are charged by plugging into a standard wall socket or a charging station. It takes a lot of electricity to charge these suckers – plug them into a socket and they will draw as much power as a small house.

They produce no emissions; however the electricity they are charged with is made mostly from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, which in themselves produce emissions. Still, electric cars generate two-thirds fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a comparably sized car that runs on gasoline.

The main drawback for these electric cars is the high cost and limited charging stations. Until the infrastructure is in place, electric cars may see slow growth.

The U.S. government has pledged $2.4 billion in federal grants to develop electric cars and batteries. China has announced it will provide US$15 billion to usher in an electric car industry.

Over time, electric cars will gain momentum as long as charging stations are made readily available and utility companies can minimize the number of home circuits that get blown.

Sources:

Electric Cars Have Utilities Both Thrilled And Worried

7 New Electric Cars Available in 2011

Obama pushes electric cars, battery power this week

Their Moon Shot and Ours - By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

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