Comments on: Better Place eyes $1 billion electric car network for Bay Area

Electric car-charging start-up Better Place is coming to California, as Bay Area leaders launch plans to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.

[BeyondGreen]

We need to get on about the business of becoming energy independent and using alternative sources of fuel. The high cost of gas this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. While we are doing the happy dance around the lower prices at the pumps OPEC is planning further production cuts to drive prices back up. We have the knowledge, we have the technology, what America lacks is a plan.

[CNET editors' note: Prohibited material deleted.]

[NiraliSherni]

One can equate such charging networks to the investments made for putting in place rail networks in the 19th century. These are the need of the hour now; with more and more people moving to or wanting to move to more energy efficient solutions for their lives and transport needs. As the number of EVs on the road multiplies, so will there be an increased need for a charging network.

[nlaureyssens]

the electric green cars are a must right now but there something puzzled me.why they will make refill
stations ??? my solution is more practical I think i 2 versions the firxst one is to put a belt to turn an alternator,just like in normal cars.the other version is to put two motors on the same shaft one side
is the motor to drive, the other the alternator to charge the battery.the only power needed is to move the
vehicle,when in motion the power out is compensared with the power in no need for barrery bank.
answer is greatly apprecieted and thank you louis

[John_Reed_Perkasie]

ERA OF THE ELECTRIC CAR ? ENVIRONMENT AND GLOBAL WARMING

The era of the electric car is here. Detroit?s claims for electric cars indicate nearly immediate limited production with a rapid buildup. Other start-ups make similar claims. Promised mileage claims vary from a modest 40 mile range to rather exaggerated claims of over 250 miles. Both range and cost are battery dependent and battery development is an important and critical consideration. Presently batteries are expensive, heavy and require special handling for disposal. We can, however, expect to overcome these technological problems with diligent research and development.

Presently automobiles use fossil fuels for their propulsion system. Converting to electric cars will immediately shift the burden to the electric power grid. The power grid at present runs at near capacity during muchof the year. Summer heat and winter cold drive the system to critical conditions at times. At present the US uses more petroleum for fuel than all the coal used for electric generation. This will put a very severe burden on our electric power system if we convert our transportation to electric cars. In the foreseeable medium term future the only way to meet the power requirements for electric transportation is coal. Coal fired electricity generation plants can be built quicker and cheaper in the capacity required than other power sources. Other non-fossil fuel power sources can supply a fraction of the required power over time and will supply increasing proportions over time. But coal interests will prevail for some time if the conversion is attempted.

The purpose of the electric car is reducing our dependence on imported fuel and mitigation of global warming. Converting our transportation to fossil fuel generated electricity can meet one requirement, however coal produces considerably more carbon dioxide per unit energy than petroleum does. From the point of view of global warming we are worse off by considerable.

Coal interests and the power generation industry make strong claims for clean coal. Their definition of clean coal is removal of toxic products of combustion, not removal of carbon dioxide gas. No clean coal plants exist nor are likely to exist capable of supplying any reasonable share of power generation for the electric car era. Enhanced global warming will be the result.

LINK TO GLOBAL WARMING MITIGATION:

NEGATIVE FOOTPRINT