Invest in Extension Cords?

Electric cars are certainly not a new idea. As a matter of fact, most manufacturers have considered them, and many have taken a formal poke at them only to be shocked back to reality after realizing that using electrical energy to mimic a gasoline/diesel-powered internal combustion engine is a tougher task than it seems. And not because we don’t have the technology in batteries as many industry folk might have you believe.

Investment and divestment in such programs went largely unnoticed for decades though the 2006 Chris Paine documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?" brought a world of hurt to some PR departments and has somewhat reignited interest not only in the use of electricity as a the sole source of passenger car energy, but also in one of the more interesting corporate conspiracy theories of all time.

The film illustrates, among other things, the development, introduction, and quick death to what seemed like a very promising program in the 1990’s. One key to the initial GM investment in the program came in the form of a piece of California legislation (isn’t that always the case) from CARB, or the California Air Resources Board. The mandate was ZEV, which stands for Zero, not Ultra-Low (ULEV) or Partially Zero (PZEV), or Super Ultra Double Top Secret Somewhat Low but Zero Emissions Vehicle.

Even before the mandate or programs like the GM EV1 could begin to get traction, those pesky “powers that be” started to come down on poor Alan Lloyd, then head of CARB, harder than a deep water oil drill. After plenty of arm twisting the mandate was overturned and the EV1 led out to pasture. Since then, many have added their two cents and more on the both the film and EV1, whose short life was extinguished quicker than a submerged carburetor in the mother of all corporate short circuits.

Among those other things in the film, are descriptions of lawsuits brought on by the auto manufacturers, Big Oil and the Bush administration (aka the trio of doom), which it notes is headed by several past oil and auto executives. Also, it paints a very clear opinion on how complex and codependent different industries are on not only each other, but also government policy from a competitive standpoint. One would never think that an administration’s high point could be helping stack the deck for two of the largest industries in the world against technology.

Ah, yes, the technology, or more succinctly said, battery-power, which has been at the center of the issue from the beginning. Battery design and power have come a very long way and, according to the movie, would be much further alone today had the oil companies not patented much of the technology so that it couldn’t be used as a replacement for gasoline. And while early efforts at useful battery packs were hit or miss (lead – acid batteries were used to successfully power EV1s across the country) Zinc – Air and Nickel Metal Hydride technologies have certainly produced much better results. Today, it seems that Lithium – Ion cells will realistically drive vehicles between 200 and 400 miles between charges.

Which brings up another point. One, which has been the most critical and damaging tool in the campaign against electric vehicles. The range of electric cars makes or breaks the technology because people immediately compare how far they can drive on electric versus gasoline. One must remember, however, that the range on a gasoline-powered vehicle is essentially an arbitrary figure that is simply a product of the vehicle’s fuel economy and the size of its gas tank. Electric cars have been criticized because they would need to be charged somewhat more frequently than you would fill up with petrol, regardless of the cost, ease or time taken to do so, etc…

Also, when you consider that the vast majority of fuel consumption comes from many short trips and that our driving patterns and habits only require a small percentage of our total vehicle range, the considerably lower cost and fuel efficiency equivalents of an electric vehicle makes its argument much stronger. The trio of doom, however, is a very powerful bunch, even more so that those cattlemen, and Oprah will be the first to tell you how much influence they have.

This November, Tesla Motors will start delivering the $92,000, 130 mph, Tesla Roadster, which in all rights is a very attractive sports car. The fact that the company has gone right after the sports segment is telling as their strategy for public education and car efficiency will be best served there. The car is not some giant Duracell on wheels, but rather a svelte two-seater reminiscent of a Lotus and capable of blistering performance. The company has also announced that they will supply their Lithium – Ion batteries to other manufacturers as well as other internal projects including an intra-city car and sedan.

Unfortunately, the company CEO Martin Eberhard recently had to admit that the car wouldn’t have the 350 mile range as originally hoped, but would be more like 200 – 250 miles (the equivalent of a 4 hour drive rather than 5 ½ hour one) further perpetuating the useless oranges to apples comparison.

It will be very interesting to see how this car is accepted. About the only thing able to take on the constricting forces of the BOA (Bush – Oil – Auto) is the public itself. You can simply no longer hide all of the social, economic, environmental and political consequences of protecting an antiquated industry. The public is becoming more interested and better informed and will eventually question what we are doing.

Well, I guess a little help from the Terminator doesn’t hurt either.

To read excerpts from an interview with Tesla CEO, Martin Eberhard, click here.

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