Electric vehicles are more than wheels. In fact, they will be a combination power plant and transportation tool, and already were at one home in New Jersey, following the devastation caused by Sandy.
Bob Sakala of Paramus New Jersey did not buy his Prius in June to power his home but just wanted to cut his gasoline bill. Indeed, for many people, a Prius cuts by half their gasoline expense, turning $3.50 gasoline into $1.75 fuel.
But Sakala's life was turned upside down, making expensive gas a minor problem, when Sandy hit, knocking out lights to his home, his community, and large chunks of New Jersey and the region.
Using a 300 watt inverter, heavy extension cords, and his Priuus, Sakala got power back to his home.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/09/15048165-during-blackout-man-uses-toyota-prius-to-light-house?lite. What a great story!
Sakala is an example of America's greatest strength--its educated people who are entrepreneurial and free to fix problems and make life better. And Sakala's use of the Prius shows why electric vehicles are going to capture big chunks of market share.
Electric vehicles will consume and generate electric power. They will both cut gasoline costs and generate revenues by producing power and selling to the grid.
And that package is going to insure their success as well as boost further distributed generation and decentralization of the grid.
300 watts is very little power and can only safely power a TV. Not your heat, refrigerator, freezer all way more important. A natural gas generator is the way to go. You could do the same thing with a conventional all gas powered car just as well and with the prius you are using gasoline to charge the batteries and power the TV and lights. John do you think natural gas generators will become so efficient and nat. gas so cheap that it will prompt some to be able to get off the grid and generate their own power?
ReplyDelete