Devoted to the auto industry – builders to enthusiasts

On Blog Action Day, it only seems proper that I participate. I review automobiles for Know More Media and other print and electronic publications.

I've been writing car reviews since 2002 and contributing the Know More Media  blog, AutoMill.com, since last July. I've touted the benefits, including superior gas mileage of many cars, including entry level vehicles like the Honda Fit and Mazda SX4, as well as several hybrids.

But I've also driven more sport utility vehicles — many of which are notorious gas guzzlers — than any other type of vehicle I don't know why, for example, that the Volkswagen Toureaug I test drove for a week a few years ago had extraordinarily advanced technology. But it only averaged 13 miles per gallon during primarily freeway driving. How is that even alllowed?

I also know the Honda Civic hybrid is one of the finest cars I've driven, regardless of price. I've the last three years of the vehicle, and it's just a fine automobile.

Yet, there's another global niche movement beyond hybrids. It promotes the further used of electric vehicles and is angry at automakers for not more aggressively touting their benefits.

And so while dutifully searching the internet today (again, it's Blog Action Day), I came across the site www.pluginamerica.com.

It's a comprehensive site that details and advocates the use of electric and hybrid-plug in vehicles.

On one page of the site, the five most frequently asked questions (and answers) about electric cars and hybrid-plug ins are posted.

Question: How far can you drive between charges?

Answer: The RAV4 EV has a maximum range of about 125 miles on one full charge. The Tesla Roadster can drive more than 200 miles. The Tesla, like many new EVs, will be capable of charging at any electric plug anywhere. The EDrive plug-in Prius has a maximum all electric range of 50 to 60 miles. After that, or over 34 mph, the gasoline engine kicks in as in the conventional Prius.

Question: How long does it take to recharge?

Answer: It charges about 20 percent per hour. The total time to charge from empty to 100 percent is 5 1/2 hours for my car.

Question: Where do you recharge?

Answer: Most people recharge in their own garage overnight, but there are public chargers for electric cars as well in parking garages and shopping centers.  

Question: How much does it cost to charge?

Answer: Less than $1 to charge a plug-in hybrid; $2-4 for an all-electric car.

Question: What about the pollution created making the electricity? Aren’t you just moving the pollution?

Answer: No. Even using coal, emissions are lower with EVs and moving the pollution away from population centers is a good thing. But there's more. Utilities have plenty of excess generating capacity at night which could charge millions of plug-in cars. While electricity is getting cleaner and more renewable every year, even the cleanest gasoline car becomes ever more polluting. An electric car, on the other hand, just gets cleaner over time as the grid gets cleaner.