Chevy Volt®; GM™

Resembling sleek driving machines, with catchy names, and touted as good for the environment, electric vehicles are coming into their own. They can run on advanced battery technology alone, with ranges of 70-100 miles; while some battery/gasoline hybrids can get over 60 miles to the gallon with their small internal combustion engine augmentation.

• Will electric vehicles really put a dent in our national dependence on oil?
• How soon can we expect them to begin appearing in great numbers?
• If we need oil at an electric generating station to make the electricity to charge the batteries, are we really saving oil?
• How much are you willing to pay for an EV?

Take this new technology a few steps further.  How long will the costly battery pack last before needing replacement? Is safety a potential issue for you with charging car batteries in your garage? Might EVs impact your automotive and home insurance costs?

Electric vehicle enthusiasts have a champion in Thomas Edison, who predicted 100 years ago, gasoline cars would eventually pollute the air and we would have trouble getting all the oil needed to run them. His famous and rugged nickel-iron storage batteries powered electric vehicles back then.

Ever the optimist, Edison did perfect his battery; which went on to become his most profitable product, finding application also in the marine, boating, and railroading industries, as well as the military. Edison showed us how to re-charge electric vehicles in our garages; and he also invented the modern electric utility system too, which provides the electricity to charge those electric vehicles.

Reminder from Harry: “Don’t forget to plug the car in before you close your door to the garage!”