I dream of a day when electric-car drivers aren’t merely the subjects of quirky little news items.
Today’s story about Steve Bernheim of Edmonds and his quest to plug in his groovy, little electric car gave me hope.
His banana-yellow Corbin Sparrow runs just 25 miles on a charge.
But slowly the number of plug-in options is increasing.
Bernheim has found about 30 reliable sites in the Seattle area to plug in. Most are free, though some require calling ahead of time. Some charge regular parking rates, such as the Seattle Public Library garage downtown, which costs $7 an hour.
Drivers can now plug in — reservations recommended — at two park-and-ride lots in King County, which plans to add sockets at three garages now under construction.
Edmonds and the Thurston County city of Lacey have invited drivers to plug in their electric vehicles at free public stations near their city hall buildings.
Meanwhile, Bernheim has learned to sweet-talk has way into a variety of private 110-volt outlets. He once persuaded a fruit-stand owner to let him plug in and ended up buying $50 of produce.
What a concept!
I can see it now, the new electric-car economy: Someday even mainstream places like McDonald’s will have to designate rows of premium parking spaces for plug-ins only just to keep up with demand and to attract business.
Oh, wait: Do electric-car drivers eat at McDonalds? Well, they would if the corporate giant offered rock-star plug-in parking spaces — and maybe a grass-fed beef burger with a side of sweet potato fries and Skagit Fresh Natural Beverage Company sparkling juice — wouldn’t they?
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