Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that will Recharge America

by Sherry Boschert

A politically polarized America is coming together over a new kind of car—plug-in electric vehicles that save drivers money, reduce pollution, and increase US security by reducing dependence on imported oil.
 
Plug-in Hybrids points out that, where hydrogen fuel-cell cars won't be ready for decades (if at all), the technology for all-electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids exists today. Unlike conventional hybrid cars that can't run without gasoline, plug-in cars use gasoline or cheaper, cleaner, domestic electricity—or both. Demand for plug-in vehicles is widespread, coming from characters across the political spectrum, such
 
* Chelsea Sexton, the automotive working for General Motors, Sexton fought attempts to destroy the all-electric EV1 car and describes how car companies are resisting plug-in hybrids—and why they'll make them -anyway.
* Felix Kramer and the tech Kramer started a nonprofit organization using the Internet to tap into a small army of engineers who built the first plug-in Prius hybrids.
* R. James Woolsey, former CIA director and national security seeing the end of oil supplies looming, Woolsey is demanding plug-in hybrids to wean us from petroleum.
 
Cautioning that the oil and auto companies know how to undermine the success of plug-in car programs to protect their interests, the book gives readers tools to ensure that EVs and plug-in hybrids become the  market for cars and trucks.

Because the market for EVs has advanced so quickly, some of the information in this book is dated, so the publisher and author decided not to reprint it after two editions. But for readers who want to know the history behind today's plug-in electric vehicles, and the political obstacles still in their way, this book gives the foundation for understanding the modern auto market.

231 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2006

Reviews

[Seebany]

I borrowed this from friends in SF just before moving here. I've only read the first half or so, so far, but it's essentially the story told in the movie, "Who Killed the Electric Car?" with more detail. The same people and groups who were interviewed or studied figure prominently in both. I really enjoyed the movie, but I think I wouldn't have gotten as much out of it without having started this book first.

[Jesus · Rating 5 out of 5]

California is the only state in the union that can mandate emissions standards more stringent than federal regulations. A zero emissions mandate brought about Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEVs) that were leased to California consumers. Great, right? If it were that simple, this book's message would be similar to the coda that is Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food: Drive, mostly electric, not too much.

The politics surrounding cars are not that simple, so this is a complex book. Many characters and ideologies come into contact within these pages. A greater degree of energy independence is a forseeable result of these cars, so a director of the CIA is involved. The bible is brought in, specifically "Genesis 2:15: 'And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it, '" which is a mantra for post-millenial evangelicals. Of course, the mechanics of electric vehicles are mentioned, though only in passing (a website http://www.calcars.org/ is referenced for more in-depth description). Celebrities and talking heads round out the motley cast of characters.

I gave this book five stars because I value the information presented within it. But the manner in which the information is presented may not be to everyone's tastes, so I also recommend the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car?" as a good introduction to the subject.

A well-written & self-aware recent article on the Chevrolet Volt:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/print/...

[Marc]

If you want to learn more about the future of transportation but were afraid the information would go over your head or bore you to tears, this is the book is for you. Sherry Boschert writes in such a conversational manner that subjects like alternative fuels, California air quality regulations, battery capacity and greenhouse gases become an enjoyable read. Perhaps this is because Boschert includes passionate personalities and personal stories amid a lot of pertinent facts and figures. There are detailed comparisons on the efficiency of plug-in hybrids, a very interesting chapter on hydrogen, and lots of battery information too. I learned a lot and came away inspired - even hopeful that we can soon have cars on the road that get over 100 mpg. Ms. Boschert, an award winning writer and electric car owner, has written an important book that every tech geek, clean air activist and soccer mom can read and enjoy. She also serves on the board of directors of Plug In America. (review by Alexandra Paul)

[Jay Brookes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the criticism of hybrids useful, but plug-in hybrids are a weak alternative to full-on electric cars in my opinion. I would recommend the book "Two Cents per Mile" by Nevres Cefo as a very similar book which is more critical of Internal Combustion Engines in general.