Feds fail to obey own laws for electric vehicles says report
Federal and state agencies have failed miserably in adding electric vehicles (EVs) to their fleets. That`s according to a report on the state of battery-powered autos in the October issue of Design News. Of about 585,000 vehicles in the federal fleet, only about 200 are electric. The 1992 Energy Policy Act (EPACT) called for federal fleets to boost their percentage of alternate fuel vehicles (though not necessarily EVs). The Big Three automakers say they invested heavily in EV technology in the belief that such regulations would spur federal agencies to buy their early vehicles. The US government says it can`t afford electric cars. According to Denise Lenar of Government Services Administration Fleet Management, the cost differential between an electric and a convention is $22,000. Despite more than four decades of development effort the EVs most critical component -- the battery -- is nowhere near ready. The basic battery problem is simply one of weight versus power. Today, automakers pay exorbitant sums for EV batteries. Experts think that near-term, the hybrid electric vehicle could serve as a bridge technology, enabling battery developers to continue research, while greatly improving the environment. Hybrids use an internal combustion engine to charge the batteries for an electronic drivetrain, and provide more of the conveniences to which consumers have grown accustomed. Yet, hybrids, which burn gasoline, don`t qualify as zero emission vehicles under government rules.
- OSTI ID:
- 320871
- Journal Information:
- Battery Man, Vol. 41, Issue 1; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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