THE electric vehicle is not a new concept and has been around since the late 1800s. Their first commercial application in the United States was by a fleet of taxicabs in New York City in 1898. One has to ask: If this technology has been around for a while, why are we still driving gasoline-powered vehicles?
Two issues that have overwhelmed this industry in the past have been poor acceleration and its short range distance before having to charge up again. This short-range distance is called range anxiety. In the late 1920s, the major automakers made a dash to get these vehicles into the mainstream. But there were several obstacles that kept electric cars from being massed produced. The first was that Ford was making leaps and bounds with their new combustion engine technologies and offering it to the masses at affordable prices. Secondly, petroleum was so cheap to purchase. These obstacles brought the electric car idea to a screeching halt. The fuel crisis of the late 1970s brought about its resuscitation although it was short-lived as the prices of oil came back down dropping the interest in renewable energy.
Today, the electric car is making a big comeback. I believe that we will soon reach peak oil, a point in time when the total production of crude oil reaches its maximum rate. Production of crude oil will start to decline causing the price to soar and never to come back down.
So what has changed in electric cars making them more appealing? One major reason is batteries are able to hold their charges for longer periods of time. Another reason is the use of a flywheel to store and regulate the car’s energy. A flywheel is wheel attached to the axel and is continuously spinning as long as the vehicle is on. These advancements reduce range anxiety. A light flywheel increases engine revs eliminating sluggish acceleration problems.
There are a number of reputable manufacturers now making electric vehicles – EVs. I was elated to learn that Nissan Guam is selling the LEAF, the only EV on the island. The LEAF is the top-selling electric vehicle in the United States, selling over 83,000 vehicles through this past September. I visited Nissan and took the LEAF for a test drive. It was easy to see this is one of the best vehicles I have ever driven; acceleration was unbelievable and it handled superbly.
The average person on Guam drives about 30 miles a day; the LEAF gets close to 75 miles on one charge. You could easily run this car for two days without range anxiety. The vehicle has 24Kwh rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is engineered for years of use. Even with the high prices on Guam for energy per kilowatt hour, the LEAF will save you half of your annual fuel costs. The savings multiply if you utilize a solar energy system. As both solar energy and electric cars become more mainstream, shopping centers, business centers, banks and other work places will install solar electric charging ports for these vehicles. Now that would be a totally green vehicle that has eliminated the use of fossil fuel for power.
On top of fuel cost-saving benefits and saving the environment, some EVs are eligible for a federal tax credit up to $7,500 (www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/taxevb.shtml). The Nissan LEAF qualifies for the full $7,500 and another $1,000 rebate for the battery charging system. I would like to extend my hats off to the Guam 32nd Legislature for supporting Bill 203-32, which introduces a $7,500 local tax incentive for purchasing a new EV. You truly are the heroes who have Guam’s long-term interest at heart. Thank you.
Two issues that have overwhelmed this industry in the past have been poor acceleration and its short range distance before having to charge up again. This short-range distance is called range anxiety. In the late 1920s, the major automakers made a dash to get these vehicles into the mainstream. But there were several obstacles that kept electric cars from being massed produced. The first was that Ford was making leaps and bounds with their new combustion engine technologies and offering it to the masses at affordable prices. Secondly, petroleum was so cheap to purchase. These obstacles brought the electric car idea to a screeching halt. The fuel crisis of the late 1970s brought about its resuscitation although it was short-lived as the prices of oil came back down dropping the interest in renewable energy.
Today, the electric car is making a big comeback. I believe that we will soon reach peak oil, a point in time when the total production of crude oil reaches its maximum rate. Production of crude oil will start to decline causing the price to soar and never to come back down.
So what has changed in electric cars making them more appealing? One major reason is batteries are able to hold their charges for longer periods of time. Another reason is the use of a flywheel to store and regulate the car’s energy. A flywheel is wheel attached to the axel and is continuously spinning as long as the vehicle is on. These advancements reduce range anxiety. A light flywheel increases engine revs eliminating sluggish acceleration problems.
There are a number of reputable manufacturers now making electric vehicles – EVs. I was elated to learn that Nissan Guam is selling the LEAF, the only EV on the island. The LEAF is the top-selling electric vehicle in the United States, selling over 83,000 vehicles through this past September. I visited Nissan and took the LEAF for a test drive. It was easy to see this is one of the best vehicles I have ever driven; acceleration was unbelievable and it handled superbly.
The average person on Guam drives about 30 miles a day; the LEAF gets close to 75 miles on one charge. You could easily run this car for two days without range anxiety. The vehicle has 24Kwh rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is engineered for years of use. Even with the high prices on Guam for energy per kilowatt hour, the LEAF will save you half of your annual fuel costs. The savings multiply if you utilize a solar energy system. As both solar energy and electric cars become more mainstream, shopping centers, business centers, banks and other work places will install solar electric charging ports for these vehicles. Now that would be a totally green vehicle that has eliminated the use of fossil fuel for power.
On top of fuel cost-saving benefits and saving the environment, some EVs are eligible for a federal tax credit up to $7,500 (www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/taxevb.shtml). The Nissan LEAF qualifies for the full $7,500 and another $1,000 rebate for the battery charging system. I would like to extend my hats off to the Guam 32nd Legislature for supporting Bill 203-32, which introduces a $7,500 local tax incentive for purchasing a new EV. You truly are the heroes who have Guam’s long-term interest at heart. Thank you.
Tracy Voacolo is the president of Micronesia Renewable Energy. She has more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy industry. Tracy can be contacted at info[at]micronesiarenewableenergy.com.
For more information about Micronesia Renewable Energy, visit http://micronesiarenewableenergy.com/.