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greenliving


A San Diego Native


GOING ELECTRIC Tech Advances May Drive


Eco-Transportation Mainstream by Brita Belli


W Ocean Sourced


Made Locally for Freshness Find us at Harney Sushi, Brooklyn Girl Eatery, Market in Del Mar, Island Palms, Blazin Grille, Rubicon Deli, Tuscany, Ki’s, Greenspot, Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Valencia Hotel, Pacific Terrace Hotel, Park Hyatt Aviara, Humphreys at the Bay, and Jsix to name a few, and of course Whole Foods, Jimbo’s, Keil’s, Boney’s Bayside Market and Cardiff Seaside Market


ith the opening of three new Supercharger stations for its luxury Model S on


the East Coast last January, electric carmaker Tesla now operates a total of nine stations serving its electric sedan owners between San Francisco and Los Angeles and between Boston and Washington, D.C. That same month, Nissan an- nounced plans to add 500 public stations for electric vehicle (EV) fast- charging, which provide 80 percent of a charge in less than 30 minutes, tripling the number of such stations by mid-2014, including the first ones in our nation’s capital. It also aims to increase the presence of charging sta- tions at workplaces. These steps in the growth in infra- structure are easing Americans’ transi- tion from gas-powered to electric and hybrid cars. Already, more than 7,000 public charging stations dot the country, from Custer, Washington, to Key West, Florida (plan a route at Tinyurl.com/Mo- bileChargingStations). Meanwhile, most EV owners simply charge up at home.


Driving Excitement Excitement has risen in recent years as electric car manufacturers have rolled


24 San Diego Edition www.na-sd.com


out more affordable, family-friendly versions like the Nissan Leaf and Mit- subishi i-MiEV. Honda is testing its Fit EV in 2013; with only 1,100 available to lease, opportunities to try out the fun, sporty car are at a premium. These models offer considerable fuel effi- ciency, easy charging and even apps to check their charge, yet eco-vehicles continue to represent a fraction of overall car sales.


In a 2012 report, the U.S. Energy Information Administration noted that fewer than 10,000 EVs were sold in 2011. While sales of all-electric vehicles improved slightly in the first half of 2012, dealers saw nowhere near the major jump produced by plug-in hybrids like the Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius.


Obstacles to a stronger EV sales


upswing include purchase price, charging time and driver anxiety about range. “The battery is a big reason the cars are expensive,” says Jim Mota- valli, author of High Voltage: The Fast Track to Plug in the Auto Industry. “More public charging is coming,” he adds, “but it doesn’t matter as much as a cheaper upfront cost and longer range—200 miles plus—instead of the standard 100 now.”


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