Battery Powered Electric Cars

The electric car, scheduled for mass production in the mid 1990's, offers many advantages over traditional gas powered autos of today. The most obvious advantage is exhaust free operation. As smog levels continue to increase at an alarming rate, the need to lower emission levels becomes more and more important. With the advent of electric cars, a dramatic reduction in the nitrogen oxides (NOx), and nonmethane organic gases such as carbon monoxide and hyrocarbons is possible. These gases are major contributors to the deterioration of the ozone layer. Also, the reduction of particulates (tiny particles of dust, soot, smoke, and other matter floating in the air) would be cut to almost zero. What is the government doing? In 1990 the Clean Air Act Amendments were created. These amendments included specific provisions for alternative fuel vehicles. Auto makers in California will be required to sell 150,000 alternative fuel vehicles annually, starting in 1996. Also, fleet vehicles in the nation's most polluted cities will be required to begin using alternative fuel vehicles beginning in 1998. Many states have also passed legislation to promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles. Sales tax rebates and mandates requiring the sale of electric cars to account for a certain percentage of total car sales annually, just to name a few.