[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/EW-07-31-13-Electric-Highway.mp3|titles=EW 07-31-13 Electric Highway]
A key issue facing the widespread adoption of electric cars is the need for infrastructure to support charging them on the road. On the west coast, the Department of Energy has teamed up with utilities and transportation departments in several states on a project called the West Coast Electric Highway.
When completed, the West Coast Electric Highway will span from British Columbia to Baja California, providing a network of public quick-charge stations every 25 to 50 miles for the entire 1,300-mile distance.
The Washington and Oregon parts of the highway are largely in place and make all-electric travel along the Interstate 5 corridor in those states quite practical. Quick-charge stations can charge vehicles like the Nissan Leaf in 30 minutes, making a brief rest stop such as a lunch break a practical opportunity for refueling. Level II chargers are also available for plug-in hybrids at these sites.
The West Coast Electric Highway is part of the EV Project, which is a Department of Energy program that is deploying charging infrastructure in major cities in nine states and the District of Columbia. Partners in the program include auto manufacturers, cities such as Seattle and Tucson, utilities, and major retailers.
Making the transition from gasoline cars to electric cars is often portrayed as a thorny chicken-and-egg problem because of the need for charging infrastructure to increase demand for the cars. With programs like the West Coast Electric Highway, a coalition of government, utility and business institutions is trying to break out of this deadlock.
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Web Links
West Coast Green Highway
http://www.westcoastgreenhighway.com
Photo, taken on January 9, 2012, courtesy of Oregon DOT via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Support for Earth Wise comes from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY.