Electric Cars are Economical and Practical Now

Following are benefits of today's electric cars like the Nissan LEAF.  Such electric cars are very practical and economical for households with a garage and two or more cars - that's a lot of households, especially in the U.S. 

There is no need to wait for better batteries or more charging stations.  The current electric vehicles like the LEAF work great for most of our typical car trips.  Just charge it in your garage at night - like a cell phone.  And the total cost of ownership is about the same as a similar sized gasoline car.  Yet they are much better to drive.  Environmental benefits are just the icing on the cake.  

Direct benefits for you (better driving experience, lower operating costs, no fumes):

1. Smooth, quiet, sophisticated.
2. Really zippy, especially at low speed – takes off like a jack rabbit.
3. No hesitation when you press the accelerator, and no gear changes.  
4. Fun to drive.  Very pleasant to drive.  Very easy to drive.
5. Drive solo in high-occupancy vehicle lanes (diamond lanes) in some regions.
6. Fill up at home (usually over night – like cell phone) instead of going to a gas station.
7. Turn on heater or A/C before you go to the car so its comfortable when you get in.
8. Leave heater or A/C on while parked if a pet or person or groceries are in the parked car.
9. No gas fumes and no exhaust fumes.
10. No oil leaks and no oil changes.
11. Many fewer moving parts and less maintenance cost.  No transmission, no pistons, no valves, no clutch or torque converter, no timing belt, no exhaust pipe and muffler, no catalytic converter, no starter motor, no alternator, no spark plugs, etc.
12. Regenerative braking reduces brake pad wear & enables one-pedal driving much of the time.
13. About 3c/mile for electricity which is like 90c/gallon of gasoline (for LEAF-size vehicle). 
14. Gasoline price increases are no longer a concern.
15. Pay reduced or no tolls for some roads, bridges, and toll lanes.
16. Pay reduced vehicle registration fee in some states. 
17. Free parking in some facilities.
18. Less total cost – initial cost (after government rebates) plus operating costs (fuel, maintenance, registration, tolls, parking, etc.) – especially if you drive a lot.

 Indirect benefits for you and others (environment, national security, energy efficiency):

19. Reduces global greenhouse gas emissions (only a little if electricity is all from coal).
20. Reduces local air pollution.
21. Reduces noise pollution.
22. Reduces our dependence on foreign oil and associated security and economic threats.
23. Reduces the $1 billion per day the U.S. now pays to other countries for oil.
24. Makes use of cheap, excess electricity generation capacity due to mostly night-time charging – no need for more electricity generation plants.

 Long trips:

25. Driving range (e.g., 70-80 miles for LEAF) is ample for 90% of typical daily driving – commuting, shopping, taking kids places, visiting, errands, etc. – but not for long trips. 
26. For long trips you will still need a gasoline (or hybrid) car – either a second car in the household, or a rented or borrowed car. 
27. If your household has only one car and it has to serve long trips, you can make it a plug-in hybrid like the Chevy Volt and still get some of the above benefits.

 Electric – a better way to go.  

See the Dept of Energy video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M69GBL0IDzI

See the clever Nissan ad:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0sCCJFkEbE

See EV facts and myths:  http://MediaMatters.org/research/201202080012

See what EV owners are saying:  http://DrivingElectric.org