No one sells electricity by the gallon.
Its been 35 years since I earned my license in Moms AMC Hornet, but this is a first.
But each had this constant under the hood: an internal combustion engine burning gasoline.
Their history dates back more than 100 years.
But emissions-free cars that quietly whoosh along our streets?
That was the stuff of some fantastic future, not a practical present.
Well, the future has arrived.
And I am driving straight into it.
I tried out twoelectric carsover the course of a week.
You cant start by mass-manufacturing a car when theres no demand for it.
Make it the object of desire.
Make it as cool and amazing as the highest-end car.
The strategy is working.
Tesla recently surpassed both Mercedes-Benz and BMW in U.S. sales.
As Tesla has grown, the big automakers have taken note.
Nissan, Volkswagen and Hyundai are just a few of the companies now producing electric cars.
This is the second car I get to whirl around in.
The first thing that amazes me and the passengers on my joyrides is this: Electric cars haul you-know-what.
The internal combustion engine is a complex machine, with little explosions and bobbing pistons and grinding gears.
EVs are much simpler, mechanically.
Their energy is stored rather than generated.
So when I step on the accelerator: boom, instant power.
Thats what the sleek Tesla feels like.
The Chevy Bolt EV, a small crossover vehicle that sits up higher, also has surprising zip.
Slowing down is also dramatically different.
I barely need to use the brake at all.
Where will I charge it?
How long does it take to charge?
Doesnt it run up your electric bill?
And the big question: How far will it go?
(The Chevy or the Tesla may last over 240 miles on a charge.)
Turns out the largest barrier to consumer acceptance of EVs is what I experienced: range anxiety.
