Politicians and environmentalists talk a good game about lessening U.S. dependence on foreign oil and reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. Usually absent from the game plan, though, are practical, workable solutions that aren’t a decade or more away.
That might be about to change, if policymakers will plug themselves into a revolutionary idea.
General Motors, the kingpin of a U.S. auto industry that’s been left in the competitive dust by Japan in fuel efficiency, was the buzz of last week’s North American International Auto Show as it previewed its plug-in hybrid electric Chevrolet Volt. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) offer commuters unheard-of fuel savings – in some cases, they could run hundreds of miles on a gallon of gasoline or other, cleaner liquid fuel like biodiesel. And, according to GM, they could be in showrooms within three to five years. If government incentives hasten their development, PHEVs could be coming off assembly lines even sooner.
What makes these cars different from today’s gas-electric hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius, is that electricity is their primary source of power. You plug the battery into a standard home outlet overnight (when demand for power is lowest), and you’re good for 40 miles or so until any liquid fuel is needed. For many commuters, that could mean using no gas at all on a normal work day. For long trips, the car would work like today’s hybrids, with the liquid-fuel engine kicking in at higher speeds, and being used to recharge the electric motor while the car is moving.
GM’s commitment to PHEVs is a strong signal that the market is ready for them. President Bush, in his upcoming State of the Union address, should give this movement a needed boost by proposing incentives for producers and buyers, funding for research into developing smaller and longer-lasting batteries, and a commitment to buying thousands of PHEVs for government and military use.
A relatively modest number of PHEVs on the road would make a dramatic difference in carbon dioxide emissions in the Puget Sound region alone – a new state report shows greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in Washington are three times higher today than they were in 1960. Over time, it could also yield a dramatic decrease in foreign oil imports, a growing national security issue.
When it comes to alternative energy in cars, the future is now. It’s time for government to put the pedal to the metal in advancing this exciting new technology.
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