GM and Utility Companies Looking at Infrastructure for Electric Cars

July 24, 2008

General Motors is partnering with more than 30 utility companies in the US to work out all the infrastructure issues that could arise when they release the Chevy Volt in 2010, a plug-in electric car that will help drivers reduce their carbon footprint.

The Volt is expected to be available in showrooms by the end of 2010. A full charge to the car’s battery should have a range of about 40 miles, and the car will have a supplementary combustion engine for when the battery runs out.

GM is feeling confident that the car and the new technology will be ready for the release in two years, but needs to work out all the obstacles in the nation’s infrastructure to ensure that the car does have the desired impact on drivers’ carbon footprints.

Britta Gross, a GM engineer, said “We know that when the vehicle is in the showroom and ready for sale, it’s got to work seamlessly with the infrastructure. It’s the whole picture. We’ve got to make sure the infrastructure is ready.”

The speed of the recharge, the voltage, and several other issues still need to be sorted out. Some other things the group will be looking at include where the cars can be recharged when at the office or for people living in apartments.

Also, the timing of the recharge is quite crucial. The utility companies could benefit from an overnight charge as they have spare generating capacity at that time of day that would allow them to sell more electricity without much more investment.

The group is also expected to push the government to provide tax incentives for consumers due to the benefits that electric cars have for society, including helping people reduce their carbon footprint to fight global warming, and to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.

The Volt will be priced between $30,000 and $40,000, making it too expensive for many drivers at first, though the savings on gas will add up quickly.

Gross said that the charge required 8 kWh of electricity. The average cost per kWh is about 10 cents, so it will cost less than $1 to travel 40 miles.

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