California Builds An Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

Nissan Leaf Five-Seat, Zero-Emission Hatchback made its USA debut on November 13, 2009 at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California. The Leaf will offered in markets in the USA and Europe in 2010, and will be available on the global market in 2012. The Leaf will run on a lithium-ion battery and have a 100-mile range after charging.

California Installs Thousands Of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on December 1, 2009 announced an electric vehicle infrastructure plan for the city. Together with partners, Los Angeles plans to update 400 electrical charging stations an add 100 more. Partners in the plan include Southern California Edison Co., the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Nissan Motor Co., General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and the cities of Burbank, Pasadena, Santa Ana and Santa Monica.

The electric vehicle charging stations are the foundation for an infrastructure being constructed to meet the demands of a large influx of electric vehicles as early as 2010. At least ten automobile manufacturers will be offering electric cars for the USA mass market within the next one to three years.

SolarCity Corp. of Foster City, CA announced on September 22, 2009 that it had finished construction of five solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations along U.S. Highway 101 between Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA. This program is in collaboration with Rabobank which is hosting charging stations at its offices in Salinas, Atascadero, Santa Maria, and Goleta, California. The fifth electric vehicle charging station in the project is on city land in San Luis Obispo, CA.

SolarCity has built about 100 Tesla Motors Inc. electric vehicle charging stations at individual residences, and to date has installed a total of about 2,500 charging stations statewide in California.

Electric Charger Device and Nissan Leaf Electric Vehicle

The Los Angeles Times reported the following on the Nissan Leaf debut in Los Angeles on November 13, 2009:

"Chargers inside customers' home garages will be the primary method of powering up the cars, but Nissan has been planning a network of Leaf charging stations with public and private partners.

So far, Nissan has cut 33 deals around the world, with stations set for San Diego; Sonoma County; Portland, Ore.; Seattle; Tucson; Phoenix; Washington, D.C.; Raleigh, N.C.; and in Tennessee.

On Friday, (November 13, 2009) Nissan announced an agreement to develop a charging infrastructure in Texas with Houston-based Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of electricity giant NRG Energy Inc. The deal could involve Reliant home charging packages offered through Nissan, said NRG Chief Executive David Crane.

The Leaf battery, which can be quick-charged to 80% capacity in 30 minutes at special charging stations or fully charged overnight using a 220-volt socket, will be leased separately at a rate that Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said would be less than the cost of gasoline."

Tesla Unveils Model S Electric Sedan

Tesla Motors, Inc. of San Carlos, California on March 26, 2009 announced that it is taking orders for an all-electric family sedan that carries up to seven people and travels up to 300 miles per electric charge.


















Tesla Model S Electric Sedan at the SpaceX rocket factory, Hawthorne, California, March 26, 2009. See "Up To Speed" in the Los Angeles Times for an associated article and more photos.

The Tesla Model S carries an onboard charger that can recharge the battery packs in as little as 45 minutes. The battery pack also is designed to be changed out in less time than it takes to fill a fuel tank on a similar gasoline-powered vehicle. As battery-pack swap and charging stations become more widespread in the new energy economy, drivers can expect to travel as far and as fast in electric vehicles as they can in gasoline-powered vehicles.


















Tesla Model S Prototype

The standard Tesla Model S goes from zero to sixty miles per hour in under six seconds and will have an electronically limited top speed of 130 miles per hour. The Model S will not require routine oil changes, and has fewer moving and breakable parts than cars powered with internal combustion engines. The Model S operating cost is about five dollars for each 230 miles traveled.

The anticipated base price of the Tesla Model S is $49,900 after a federal tax credit of $7,500. The company has not released options pricing. Three battery pack choices will offer a range of 160, 230 or 300 miles per charge. This pricing is consistent with Tesla's long-term plans to produce highway-capable electric vehicles at increasingly lower prices as the EV technology develops. Tesla's efforts are focused on accelerating the electric car revolution, according to Tesla Chairman and Chief Executive Elon Musk. Tesla was selected in January 2009 to make batteries and chargers for Daimler's Smart EV.


Daimler Smart ForTwo Electric Vehicles























The Tesla Roadster

Tesla is the only production automaker already selling highway-capable electric vehicles (EVs) in North America or Europe. With 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, the Tesla Roadster outperforms almost all sports cars in its class yet is six times as energy efficient as similar gasoline-powered cars and delivers 244 miles per charge. The Roadster, Tesla's first model, has a base price of $101,500. Tesla has delivered Roadsters to about 300 customers, and has nearly 1,000 additional customers on its wait list.