Honda Fit EV - The Agony and the Ecstasy of Electric Motoring

My Fit EV fills up at the Blink Network charging station.

The Honda Fit EV is a great example of everything that’s wonderful — and terrible — about living with an electric car. I just spent a week with a Reflection Blue FIT EV and it took me on a real adventure.

Let’s start with the upsides first. Nobody can argue that electric cars aren’t cleaner than gasoline burners. Of course, how much cleaner depends on how the electricity that you use is generated (coal-fired plant? Hydro-electric dam? Nuclear power plant?). But you aren’t burning anything in the car itself — there isn’t even a tailpipe.

The EPA’s green ratings for the Fit EV are a perfect 10 for Smog and Greenhouse Gas. The window sticker says you’ll save $9,100 in fuel costs over five years compared to the average new vehicle.

Electric motors are quiet and smooth. My tester made a little high-pitched whine when it gained momentum, but otherwise all I heard, even at freeway speeds, was a little hum from the tires and a very minimal bit of wind noise. Being a Honda, the car was well built and rattle- and buzz-free.

The price of electricity is significantly less than gasoline, especially if you generate it from your own rooftop solar panels. I don’t have any yet, but my research showed that to go 30 miles in a gas version of the Fit would take one gallon of gas at $4.00; an Electric fit would use about $1.00 worth of electricity.

How about the negatives? At this point, the biggest problem with electric cars, including the Fit, is range. Imagine if you had to put gas into your car’s tank three gallons at a time. With a 73-mile range like the Fit, you need a daily charge, if not twice a day. Charging at home in reasonable time means installing a 220-volt charger in your garage. Otherwise, at 110 volts, it could take longer to fill an empty battery than overnight. A 220-volt public charger takes about four hours.

Another range-related issue is usage. If you plan to drive your EV only for commuting, and your daily mileage fits comfortably within the car’s range, then you can charge it up at night and the cycle works. However, if you want to come home after work and then take your car out again, you may not be able to do it. Also, forget those 150-mile round trips to visit the grandkids or long vacation excursions. In these cases, you’d better take the other (gas) car.

Another problem is price. The Fit EV drives very nicely, is well finished, and comes pretty well equipped, but it’s still based on the Fit, which is Honda’s cheapest car. You can buy the basic gas-powered Fit starting at $16,215, while the price of my test car was $37,415! And despite their wildly different drivetrains, the two versions look nearly identical, except for a chrome smile up front and EV badges on the electric.

Nissan’s, the pioneer in the mainstream EV market, created a new model — the Leaf — to avoid this kind of comparison between basic gas model and upscale electric. Honda, along with Ford, Fiat, and Chevrolet, is using available platforms — a cost-saving move but one that may be harder to sell to the public.

There are significant federal and state rebates that can take up to $10,000 off the price of an EV, but it still costs a lot more than a gas-powered model. Good leasing deals are out there. Currently, you can lease a Fit EV for three years at $259 a month, although availability is very limited.

Of course, the Tesla Model S is another case entirely. It’s very expensive, starting at $71,070, but the range is not an issue, at 208 or 265 miles, depending on model. Most of us, though, will have to opt for the more ordinary EVs.

The challenge of driving an EV is learning how to live carefully on your meager energy budget. The Fit’s instrument panel has a Power/Charge gauge on the left that shows you if you’re using electricity or generating it and on the right is a full/empty gauge for the battery.

There is also a digital estimated range display front and center. You can make this figure larger or smaller depending on whether you choose Econ, Normal, or Sport mode on the left side of the steering column. With, Econ, the 100% full range is 73 miles. Pushing the Normal button drops that to 62, and Sport drops further to 56. These are approximations, and they can vary tremendously depending on how you drive.

Econ is the most frugal setting, but during the cold snap of my test week, I found that it reduced the heater function to nearly nothing. Switching to Normal restores normal climate function, and also makes the car much quicker off the line when you press the accelerator. Sport mode gives another boost to acceleration, but seems unnecessary otherwise.

My real adventure and educational experience was in getting the car charged up. My first day, I was surprised to drive my 30 miles to work and see the range drop from 59 to just 48. I had recovered a lot of the electricity because I was in terrible stop-and-go traffic. Secret: EVs do exceptionally well in these conditions, because speeds are low and there is plenty of opportunity to recharge the battery with regenerative braking.

With this success, I figured I was safe to take the trip back without a recharge. However, by the time I got close to home that Tuesday evening, the instruments were displaying a worrisome 11-mile range and a Low Battery warning light came on as I approached my house.

To avoid stress, on Wednesday, I went looking for a charging station near my office. I had used one before that was a 20-minute walk away, but it was a Blink Network site and I only had a ChargePoint card from the press fleet. So, I went to the nearest ChargePoint station — more than a mile away — and found that I couldn’t use it. It was on a major software company’s campus, and it was reserved.

However, I made a call to ChargePoint and was able to get connected — but I had to use the personal ChargePoint account I had set up months ago. I enjoyed a vigorous 35-minute walk back to the office, but I’d hate to have to do that every day. I got a ride to pick up the car later.

The following day, I decided to try using the ChargePoint chargers right across the street from my office. Although they were in front of a well-known video rental company, I thought that maybe the wizards at ChargePoint could open them up for me the way they had on Wednesday. The polite woman on the other side of the line did her best, but it was a no go. I then decided to try the Blink Network station again, hoping for a miracle.

I got my miracle. When I called Blink, Dustin told me that they have a Guest User plan. So, in five minutes, my hungry Fit was charging up. One more day was taken care of, and I got my nice 20-minute walk back to work.

I was beginning to feel like I had it together. I was much more relaxed having the security of a full charge morning and night. So, I drove in Normal instead of Econ mode and enjoyed the warmth and responsiveness that the Fit offers. That’s when I realized how much I enjoyed the car. The Fit is absolutely stable and feels light and taut, although my driving was not on exciting roads. The motor’s torque pulls you forward nicely, and the expansive glass greenhouse and long dash make it feel spacious. The silvery panels and light gray plastic (none of it padded) helped, too. I was able to play the audio system without any apparent impact on my electricity budget.

Charge companies keep in touch with you. I received text messages from ChargePoint telling me when the car was full — and also when I removed the charger from the car (in case it was someone else!). Blink Network sent me emails with the same contents. After my experience with them, I signed up for a free membership, so I’ll be ready when the next electric test car comes along.

The bottom line is, if you are willing to put up with the obvious issues of range and price, an EV may be for you — and the Honda is nice to drive and handy to use, with its hatchback. If I owned one, I would be sure there was a charger at my workplace and install one in my garage. I would also be sure to have a reliable second car that burns petrol available for longer trips.

There are other options. Besides the several EVs on the market, there are plug-in hybrids, which allow you limited all-electric driving and then switch to efficient hybrid operation. The Toyota Prius Plug-In and Ford C-Max Energi are good examples. Another choice is the Chevrolet Volt, which is an electric car with a built-in gasoline engine that’s used only as a generator to charge the battery for extended range.

These cars eliminate the range issues, but are still more expensive than comparable gasoline vehicles. They are even more expensive than their regular hybrid versions. And, they still use some gas.

The electric-only range for plug-in hybrids varies from about 13 miles for the Prius to 21 for the C-Max and 38 for the Volt. These models, like the current EVs and standard hybrids, are all interim steps that will eventually lead to what we really want — electric vehicles with a useful range, quick and convenient charging, and an affordable price.

Mitsubishi i-MiEV - The Electric Car You Haven't Met Yet

You've surely heard a lot more about electric cars lately, with the Tesla, Leaf, Volt and others making the news. You probably haven't heard much about the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, however, so here's a chance to find out about it.I drove one of these revolutionary vehicles for a work week: Monday through Friday. It was an adventure.

Knowing I had an all-electric car coming, I prepared. With a posted 62 mile average range, the Mitsubishi would just barely cover my 60-mile round-trip commute, so I explored the neighborhood for a place to plug in. I found four ChargePoint charging stations, and applied and received an account card. That would allow me to use them. But, when I swiped my card at the station, I found out that they were only usable by the company whose building stood behind them. Oh, well.

The i-MiEV (i for short) is more pod-like and futuristic than most cars. It's a "one box" design, but there's nothing boxy about it. It is kind of cute, really. Inside, there's room for four people, but kneeroom is tight in back. It does feel spacious, however, with a high roofline. The hatchback configuration is useful.

The instrumentation is minimal, but it has what you need. Unlike a hybrid, you don't need to know when the gas is flowing or the battery is discharging. All you need is a digital speedometer, an estimated range meter, and a gauge that shows you how you're driving. Like all electrics and hybrids, the car is either using battery power or recharging the battery. You can be driving in town and alternating between using and charging--and keep that estimated range at the same figure for quite a while. I noticed that the i regenerates without an unnatural feel to the brakes that makes it feel like someone is pushing the pedal for you.

Receiving my White Pearl/Ocean Blue 2012 test car at work, I drove it home in the blissful silence of electric vehicles--and kept an eye on the range meter. With a posted 51-mile range, I figured I could go 30 miles with no problem, and when I pulled in the driveway, it read 22. That was perfect. However, it was obvious I'd have to prepare to charge at work during the day.

I went online and found another charging location a 20-minute walk away. The press fleet had kindly given me two charge company cards to use. This station was from Blink Network, another supplier, and I found a long row of  unoccupied stations. Great! It's easy to use these stations. You just plug in the cord from their machine into the socked on your car (behind what would normally be the gas door) and walk away. I used the regular (240-volt) charger and walked the 20 minutes to work. I called it my "exercise program" - helping the planet and myself at the same time. I would hate to have to do this every day, rain or shine, however.

When I got to the car 10 hours later, I found that it had filled the battery, but also charged me $1.50 per hour--$15. That wouldn't do for the long term. Apparently, it's connection time, not amount of juice you take, that they use to calculate your bill.

The next day, I worked from home, but used the car to visit a friend who lives 24 miles away. I figured, starting with a range of 65, I'd have enough. But, when I got there, I saw that I had only 29 miles left on the meter. I tried not to worry about it, but on the way home, I tried driving as carefully as I could, using good electric car technique. This involves accelerating gently, not going over 55 on the freeway, and being sure to get maximum regenerative braking where possible. From that 29 on the meter, when I got home it said 17. A miracle.

The most convenient place to charge your car is at home, even at normal 110 household current, so I pulled the cord out of the modest bag it came in and plugged in when I was at  home. However, 110 is slow, so you need to charge all night. With a partial charge in there already, it was full by morning, but when I started the process with the battery near empty, overnight was not enough to complete fill the battery--something to think about. You can have a 240 charger installed that should cut that time significantly.

On Thursday of my test week, I tried another charging approach. I had a friend (in an all-electric Nissan Leaf) follow me to the Blink charging station. We saw their quick station was free, and since the i has both kinds of sockets, I was able to plug in to the 440-volt charger. My i had have a battery's worth of juice when I did. We had lunch and returned 45 minutes later and the battery was full! If you can use quick charging, it's a real advantage, but stations are only in certain locations. Actually, the charging infrastructure is still in its infancy, so if you plan to charge on-the-go, you'll need to do your research. The charging company websites can help, and their systems can text you when your car is charged and provide other ways of making it easier.

The EPA numbers for electric cars use the MPGe rating--an "equivalent." My i had an average of 112 MPGe, figuring on 126 City and 99 Highway. The sticker says I'd save $9,850 dollars in fuel costs over five years compared to an average new vehicle.

That's good, because the total MSRP of the car, including $3,000 in options and $850 in destination charges, was $35,065. Of course, there are federal and state rebates that can save you a significant amount, and the cost of fuel and maintenance is much lower. Some cheap lease deals are around on electric cars, as well.

There are numerous advantages to owning an electric car, including low operating costs, minimal maintenance requirements, and a low carbon footprint. The main downsides are initial cost of purchase and limited range. You have to decide what works best for your driving needs. With a 30-mile each way commute, a 62-mile range is a little small. Other electrics have EPA numbers of 70 or 80 miles, and the Tesla offers a much greater range--but at a much higher price.

I actually enjoyed driving the i. It felt responsive, with the torque inherent to all electric motors. It was stable on the road, although it did move a little side-to-side on a major bridge with the wind blowing. The seats were comfortable, the leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter made those touch points feel upscale, and the silent, smooth travel was kind of like flying. The car is fully loaded with things like a heated driver's seat, a 360-watt, eight-speaker audio system, keyless remote, and attractive alloy wheels.

Oh, I left out one of the best parts--the carpool lane stickers. I was able to use the carpool lane as a solo driver in commute hours and it cut my trip by about a third. I was flying by those poor gasoline-using folks! That alone may be worth the price of admission to an electric car.

If I could use an electric car like this for commuting only, and had a fuel-burner for all my other errands, it would be almost ideal. The manufacturers are scrambling to increase range, and prices will come down as volume increases. I can see a day when the 200-mile range, $25,000 electric car will be a reality. For now, if you can live with the 62-mile range, you should at least consider the Mitsubishi i when you're shopping.

Cars of the (Sustainable) Future

It's a tough time in the automotive business now. Most of the companies are struggling to sell enough vehicles to make a profit, GM and Chrysler are emerging from bankruptcy, Saab is R.I P. But there's more. The manufacturers will have to meet greatly increased environmental standards.

The corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards in the U.S. now require that a manufacturer's cars average 27.5 miles per gallon. However, plans by the president would move that to 54.5 mpg by 2025. That's a huge jump, but it's based on many factors, including environmental concerns and a depleting supply of oil.

Manufacturers have explored alternative vehicles for years. Hybrid vehicles, exemplified by the Toyota Prius, can achieve higher fuel economy and run more cleanly, but there are also electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf now on the market, and other options includes (clean) Diesel vehicles, offered by multiple manufacturers, plug-in hybrids, such as the Chevrolet Volt, and in an emerging technology, hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles. There are also numerous efforts to bring greater efficiency to existing gasoline vehicles, such as Mazda's SKYACTIV Technology.

It's not a time to worry about the shape of a fender or how fast it'll go. There are some certainties and some uncertainties, but one thing is clear--to meet that 54.5 CAFE standard, something major is going to have to change.

Yesterday, at the Future Cars, Future Transportation Forum, put on by the Western Automotive Journalists (WAJ), I got to drive several vehicles that will be doing their part to help in this effort. I also got to hear industry experts from several manufacturers and two writers from major automotive publications give their thoughts on what's coming. Local TV station KGO Channel 7 covered the event.

My first drive was in the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell electric vehicle. It's a compact hatchback, small but not teeny, that uses a hydrogen-powered fuel cell. Fuel cells generate electricity electricity in a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen that yields only pure water vapor. It sounds like a dream come true.

But--the downsides include the need to manufacture the hydrogen (it's everywhere, but not in the form you need for the car) and the biggest issue of all--there's no infrastructure. There are 250,000 gas stations in the country but virtually no hydrogen stations. Los Angeles has a few, and that's where you can lease one of a few initial Mercedes B-Class F-Cells.

Driving the car on a short test loop showed that besides being a very sweet little people carrier (with Mercedes styling), there is absolutely no loss of performance or utility running on hydrogen. Smooth and silent, it would be a guaranteed winner, if there was a place to fuel it. And--what would it cost? That could be a problem, at least until enough were produced that economies of scale kicked in.

I also sampled Toyota's FCHV-adv, fresh fuel cell technology in a previous-generation Toyota Highlander body. Like the Mercedes-Benz, it drove very nicely and quietly. Toyota has been working on this problem for decades. This latest model has improvements to the cells, the control system, the tanks, cold-weather startup, fuel efficiency and cruising range. But there are still no hydrogen stations around.

Electric vehicles have been in the experimental stage for many years and have even been on the market for limited purposes, essentially overgrown golf carts. The Nissan Leaf represents the first viable "regular car" that you can buy. I tested one recently, but at the event, I got to sample Mitsubushi's i-MiEV, a compact hatch that looks like a future pod more than anything else on the road. The bottom line? It drove silently and smoothly, like one would expect. It has rear seats that fold down and a handy hatch, a pleasant, if simple linterior, and would serve my personal commute needs exactly. However, Like all electrics, with the possible exception of the $100,000 + Tesla Roadster, it has a range of less than 100 miles, though, and would cost nearly $30,000 before national and state rebates dropped it down closer to $20,000. Dave Patterson of Mitsubishi is enthusiastic about the future of electric cars, and told us that the company will introduce multiple electrics over the next few years, including a crossover that seats seven.

The problems with electric cars, besides range, include the time (hours) it takes to refill the tank. With improvements in battery technology and quick charging, electric cars will have to play a big part in the future automotive market to help meet the CAFE standards.

The Chevrolet Volt tries to work it both ways by giving about 35 miles of service on pure electricity before switching to a hybrid mode, in which a gasoline engine kicks in to power the electric motor. It seems like an interim solution, but the Volt I drove yesterday felt solid, and with all its colorful displays inside, it would be  very entertaining for a while. If you had a 15-mile commute each way, you could end up using no gasoline at all. 

What about simply improving the cars we already have? Mazda is attempting this with the SKYACTIV Technology. I drove a Mazda3 with this recently, and also took a short run at the event. Nice: a six-speed manual for sportiness. The friendly Mazda rep explained the changes in the engine and transmission, and how the technology would include many more aspects in upcoming vehicles, including the brand-new CX-5 crossover, which will be out very soon. The experts in the panels all agreed that the internal combustion gasoline engine was going to be around for a while, so improving every aspect of it, and the cars that use it, makes a lot of sense.

Diesel cars have been around for a long time. Mercedes-Benz has sold tons of them. Nowadays, Volkswagen is a major Diesel marketer in the U.S. I drove the brand-new Passat TDI, which boasts amazingly high fuel economy (43 mpg Highway) and a huge range of nearly 800 miles! The downside of Diesel is that it's still burning a fuel, and Diesel emits more particulate matter than gasoline. But as a short-term solution, especially towards hitting that 54.5 mpg average, it's a player. And the performance can be quite thrilling with its high torque.

So, what's coming? None of the expert panelists could say for sure, but they all agreed that for a technology to have an impact it would have to represent at least 15 percent of the automotive market. Today, none of these alternative vehicle types comes close. Even the ubiquitous Toyota Prius barely makes a dent.

It's going to be very interesting, and 13 years is not a long time to get this very important job done.

Audi A2 May Return--Hooray

In Europe, they get lots of cars that we don't--and sometimes that's a darned shame. One car I've always liked and never gotten to experience is Audi's diminutive A2. But that could change soon.

At the Frankfurt Auto Show, Audi will debut a new A2, bringing back a car that's been out of production for six years. Like the old one (above left), it will be a five-door hatchback, but this time they plan to make it an electric or electric hybrid.

The reason you're seeing these small cars from the luxury manufacturers is the upcoming increase in the fuel economy standards. You won't get to 54.5 mpg with the lineups these brands currently market in the United States. Look for BMW's i-series cars to give this new A2 competition if it shows up here.

I am still pining for the Audi A1--a MINI-sized car that I know would be popular in the States--but it would probably not be profitable, which is why you and I have not seen one on the roads (yet).

Charge Your Electric Car--at Walgreens

One of the things owners of electric cars deal with is finding a place to charge up if they're away from home. Although these cars are designed to fill up with a nightly feed in your garage, sometimes you want to extend your range by charging while you're out and about. (Nissan Leaf pictured.)

I just read in the August 1, 2011 issue of Automotive News that Walgreens plans to install about 800 charging stations outside their stores in New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington by the end of 2011. About 60 are already up and running in Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.

About half of the chargers are being provided by 350Green. According to their spokesperson, in an article in the New York Times, Walgreens would charge $3 to $4 for a 90-minute charge.

This is the wave of the future. Soon, you'll be able to plug in when you go to the mall, the movie theatre, and a downtown parking garage. Having a charger available will be an advantage for a business, and more and more of them will install them.

I didn't even think about the "green" in Walgreens until this minute.

Nissan Leaf - a Real Electric Car

The Nissan Leaf is the first all-electric car to be a completely finished, normal, mass market vehicle. Dramatically styled outside, extremely pleasant to drive and ride in, and complete with all the accoutrements you require--satellite radio, USB, climate control, power acccessories, navigation--it's a dream come true.

Range is a consideration with a pure electric car, but the Leaf actually fit my needs pretty well. I have a 44-mile round trip commute, and it took me on it, gas free, with about one third of the full charge remaining when I rolled into my driveway. I used a 110-volt trickle charger--which is slow--but if I owned the car, my 220-volt home charger would do the job in 5 hours, not 16.

The motoring experience is serene. The car makes a cute little chime song when you push its "On" button. The icon of a Leaf with a two-headed arrow under it appears and you're ready to go. Push the car into Drive and take off.

If you put the car into the Drive position a second time, it takes the ECO setting. Then, it will generate more electricity with regenerative braking and accelerate a bit more leisurely--but you'll get a greater range.

A tree icon on the information-packed instrument panel lets you "earn" trees from your good driving behavior. If the old way of interacting with cars was through shifting, accelerating, and zero-to-sixty times, the new way is to see how far you can go on a charge--which means careful driving, not wild performance.

There's an iPhone app that lets you stay aware of the charge of your car remotely. I consulted it from work when the car was at home. It also tells you where the closest charging station is--and that list will include your house as soon as you've used it once.

The tan, organically shaped cabin coddles you, and with the silence of the ride, the audio system entertains completely.

The price is about $33,000, but numerous rebates and offers apply, so you may be able to grab a Leaf for the mid $20,000s. But, consider this. I earned 4.3 miles per kilowatt hour (KWh). That means that the 44-mile commute cost me, at my rates, about $1.40 in electricity. A Prius would burn just under a gallon of gas--which goes for $4.25 these days. A "regular" car, at 22 miles per gallon, would cost $8.50. So there's a definite savings there.

For now, you'll want to have another car available for long distance travel. I expect that charging times and battery life will improve significantly over the next few years until it'll mean a half-hour lunchtime charge at the Denny's halfway to LA and you'll be on your way. Meanwhile, the Leaf makes pure electric motoring not only possible, but enjoyable too.

Toyota Prius PHV Gives Long Electric Cruises

I'm one of the lucky journalists who gets to spend a week with Toyota's upcoming Prius PHV. PHV is a new acronym, which stands for plug-in hybrid vehicle. It's a compromise, like all hybrid cars, but it solves the problem of all-electric vehicles, such as the Nissan Leaf, which could strand you if you happen to run out of juice out on the road. Sadly, there's no AAA truck with a gallon of electricity who can come by.

The PHV looks and feels like a Prius, which is not sporty but is quite solid and dreamy quiet. However, rather than simply using electricity that it generates itself, the PHV has a great big lithium ion battery where the spare tire would normally live that can take a charge that will last you about 14 miles. If you live six miles from work, it's possible you could travel gas free.

My commute is 27 miles, but I was able to drive the first seven miles--all on city streets--completely on electricity. Also, the car would drive electrically for significant periods of time on the freeway under conditions that didn't require strong acceleration.

Electronic gauges at the front of the dash, under the windshield, let you monitor your fuel consumption and especially important, where the power for moving the car is coming from. You can see the motor working--or the engine--or both--or neither, if you're stopped at a light.

It was exciting to zoom along for nearly 15 minutes without using any fuel at all. But, the show came to an end and it was back to plain hybrid life--which isn't all that bad, really. After six days, I have averaged 54.8 miles per gallon--about 5 mpg better than a normal Prius. One of those gauges shows what percentage of the time the car was an "EV" or a hybrid, which tells the story. I got in about 8 percent as a pure electric. Someone else, with short jaunts every day, could make that 8 percent hybrid, 92 percent electric.

The plugging in to charge part was easy, but I had to remember to do it. I ran the heavy cord out of my garage and into the plug, which sits behind a door in the left front fender. The battery charges fully in just three hours on normal household 110 volt current.

Pricing is likely to be in the low to mid $30,000 range. The car's due out next spring, but folks are already signing up for their Prius PHV. Here--you can too.

Uh Oh--Four Dollar Gas is Here

I drove past my neighborhood Chevron today and there it was--four dollar gas. I've found that filling my premium-ingesting Audi and BMW is already costing an extra $10 a tank.

As it happened last time, we are likely to see a move to people buying more economical cars. This time, the manufacturers are more ready than they were. Here are some suggestions:

Electric: Nissan Leaf

Plug-in Hybrid: Chevrolet Volt

Hybrids: Toyota Prius, Honda Insight

Economical small cars: Mazda3, MINI Cooper, Scion XD, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Elantra

Midsize: Four-cylinder Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata

There are many other options, and many more electric and hybrid vehicles coming soon.

I Followed a Nissan Leaf Today

One of the most exciting automotive debuts in many years--for me at least--is the arrival of the all-electric Nissan Leaf. I have seen it at the car shows and one passed me in traffic a few weeks ago. But tonight, on my way home from work, I found myself behind one as I approached the freeway entrance.

It was black, with the Leaf's unique and characteristic high, slim taillamps comprising strips of small, red dots. I followed the car about 10 miles until it pulled off at an exit.

As I followed, I felt a sense of change. Before too long, we'll have lots of electric cars zooming down the highways. I thought of how I could buy one and charge it at work--and at home--and someday, even from my own solar panels. It felt like the future had arrived.

We have many reasons to cut our use of petroleum. The Leaf is a great way to do it.

The Leaf's one weakness is its range--which realistically is well under 100 miles. But that will change. If I knew I could charge it at work, would I order one now? Well, I just might.

Chevy Volt Arrives in S.F. Bay Area

I normally drive a car before writing about it, but this opportunity was too good to pass up. I heard about the first Chevrolet Volt to be delivered in the San Francisco Bay Area and went to the new owner's blog. He had written all about the car and the process. Go see it for yourself. There was his email address, so I contacted Patrick Wang, and within the hour, we had made plans to meet.

Over coffee, Patrick told me all about his decision to buy the new plug-in hybrid Volt and then gave me a tour and a ride. Read all about it in the San Leandro Times.

In 25 words or less, it's a new way of driving, but feels familiar. It's an electric car for the first 30 to 50 miles, and then a gasoline engine kicks in to charge the battery for many more miles of motoring. I'm looking forward to driving one myself before too long.