Electric Cars

Whether an electric car such as the Nissan Leaf protects the atmosphere from greenhouse gases depends on where it's charged, according to a new study. Electric vehicles are no better than a standard gasoline-powered subcompact such as a Hyundai Elantra in cities such as Denver and Wichita, Kan., but far exceed even the best hybrids in Southern California. That's the finding of a study of electricity generation, greenhouse gas emissions and electric vehicles by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Apparently, location, location, location is the latest twist on electric vehicles and the environment: Whether an electric car such as the Nissan Leaf protects the atmosphere from greenhouse gases depends on where it's charged, according to a new study.  Such a car is no better than a standard gasoline-powered subcompact such as a Hyundai Elantra in cities such as Denver and Wichita, but far exceeds even the best hybrids in Southern California....

Will higher gas prices help lift sales of electric vehicles? Lacey Plache, the chief economist for Edmunds.com, says the hurdles are still too high for widespread adoption of electric vehicles. In an analysis for automotive research firm R.L. Polk & Co., Plache says one problem is that there still isn't a lot of choice when it comes to electrics and plug-in hybrids. Although at least nine electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are expected to become available in 2012, only the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt are widely available.

The economies in France and Spain are in turmoil, but there are positive changes in those countries this year that will affect the traveler, especially one on a budget. In France, a new electric-car-share program called Autolib' ( www.autolib.eu , in both English and French) is designed to function much like the city's successful Velib' bike-share program. Eventually 3,000 electric cars will plug in at 1,000 (mostly underground) stations - and yes, Americans and Canadians can rent one as long as they have an International Driving Permit.

Justin Bieber turned 18 on Thursday and to celebrate, his manager surprised him with a Fisker Karma -- a $100,000 electric car whose sporty physique belies its eco-friendliness. Bieber's manager, Scott Braun, presented the Canadian pop star with the car on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show ," of all places. "We wanted to make sure, since you love cars, that when you're on the road you are always looking environmentally friendly," Braun said as DeGeneres beamed in the background.

End of the road? Re "Walking away from a highway," Jan. 29 So Caltrans wants to abandon California Highway 39 in the San Gabriel Mountains to save $1.5 million a year in repair costs. I have a suggestion that will save even more money: Abandon the sections of the Pacific Coast Highway that are prone to landslides. Caltrans seems to work quickly to reopen PCH when numerous landslides occur during the rainy season. Abandoning the sections of PCH that continue to have a high landslide risk would surely save more money than the paltry amount spent on Highway 39. Of course, in some areas this would cause the loss of convenient beach access, and some coastal businesses would probably close.

A few loose wires Re " Back to an electric future ," Opinion, Dec. 11 Enough with articles about the electric car's rosy future. The electric car just transfers tailpipe emissions to the chimneys of the major electricity plants that must generate the power to charge them. These plants are predominantly coal or natural gas-fired and are potential environmental disasters that emit carbon dioxide. The energy loss in the transmission of this power over miles of high-tension lines to the electric outlet is also a factor in the loss of efficiency of these vehicles.

One day in 1948, Caltech chemistry professor Arie Haagen-Smit took a break from trying to decipher the mystery of the flavor of the pineapple. He stepped outside his lab for a breath of fresh air but instead found himself enveloped in what he called "that stinking cloud" of smog. At the time, there was a bitter debate as to what caused smog. So Haagen-Smit decided to put aside his pineapples (he had already worked out the taste chemistry of onions, garlic and wine and had identified the active agent in marijuana)

A Los Angeles firm has quietly assembled a Trojan horse electric car designed to carry the Chinese military-industrial complex deep into America's auto market. Detroit should be afraid, very afraid. And anyone in the U.S. unemployment line — along with American taxpayers, who are subsidizing this sham — should be outraged. The car is branded Coda and debuted at the L.A. Auto Show. While Coda Automotive salespeople were eager to portray it as "All American" — we got one of them bragging about it on camera — its entire chassis and battery system and most of the metal (apparently 65% of the car)

Afraid your new Chevrolet Volt will catch on fire? General Motors will go as far as to buy it back from you. As safety investigations continue on the electric car, which caught fire following test crashes, GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson said the automaker would repurchase Volts from any concerned consumers. The assurance marked an escalation of the company's response to the post-crash reports. Earlier this week, GM offered to loan free vehicles to Volt owners until the safety concerns were resolved.