Charging Stations and Affordable green cars are lacking in the U.S.
By Susan Wilson
While the rest of the world is producing affordable street and highway viable electric cars like the REVA from India, the United States hasn’t produced any. True there is the Tesla and Aptera, both of which are anything but affordable or readily available.
With Better Place and Coulomb installing public charging stations in many European Union (EU) countries, and parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, cars like the REVA are more likely to be adopted as the primary or secondary vehicle of most households. Why buy a polluting gas or diesel car if you can get the same use from a clean affordable electric one?
Various municipalities in California have worked with both Better Place and Coulomb to set up charging station networks for future electric cars. Since California is the first place that most American manufactured or foreign electric cars are or will be sold, this makes sense. But there are 49 other states that need to start looking towards encouraging electric and plug-in hybrid adoption. California has been the leader in adopting green technology to improve the quality of life for its citizens, too bad the other states haven’t kept up.
More than likely the REVA will never see a sale in the United States because of the stringent and costly safety tests that are required for importing cars into the U.S. According to an article on Alternet, the car is selling in other parts of the world for between $14,000 and $20,000.
If every state and city in the country had charging station networks, the REVA would be a best seller for struggling car dealers. For many people the little electric car would be the most affordable option even without its green credentials.
Until the United States takes improving the environment as a serious and sustainable goal, the country will lag behind the rest of the world in green technology adoption and use. Other countries implemented wide ranging environmental initiatives and green technology subsidies years ago. The U.S. is at best playing “catch up”.
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