2012 Toyota Rav4 Electric Electric
•	Not a hybrid; powered 100% by electricity that is mostly made in USA, not the Middle East. Very little electricity is produced from oil in the USA. No electricity comes from outside North America. No soldiers die defending electricity. There aren’t coal mines in California; most state electricity is from natural gas
•	There is no gasoline motor; no smog checks, oil changes, camshaft belts, tune-ups, air and oil filters, or oil drips on the driveway/garage. The Chevrolet Volt uses a gasoline motor in addition to the electric motor, as does a Toyota Prius and Fisker Karma. Other pure electric cars are Coda, Tesla Roadster and Model S, Ford Focus EV, Nissan Leaf, BMW ActiveE and Honda Fit EV. Coming is Smart ED, Chevrolet Spark, Volkswagon Golf EV, Tesla Model X and BMW i3
•	Zero tailpipe emissions, and zero emissions from electricity produced by geothermal, solar, wind, and hydro (dam) power, and even nuclear. At my house, I have 8kW of solar powered electrical production
•	92 to 113 mile range (EPA 103 combined), up to 142 miles at a steady 65mph. It’s possible to drive over 200 miles at exceptionally slow speeds. It’s important to note that range will reduce with age, miles, and exposure to high temperatures
•	104 mph top speed, 0-60mph in 7 seconds, 273 foot/pounds of torque
•	Lithium battery has a 8 year/100,000 mile warranty
o	No “battery acid” in 50kWh battery pack, with 41.8kWh usable
o	Uses thousand of “AA” size batteries, Panasonic 18650CG / 2200mah cells
o	Power does not taper off as battery gets lower in energy
o	Everything inside is recyclable 
•	The car’s charger draws up to 9.6 kW (40 amps at 240 volts); about the same as a large home air conditioner. Can charge from a normal 120 volt wall plug
•	Charging is normally done overnight, just like plugging in your cell phone. It can be charged in 3 to 5 hours at a rate of 30 miles added per hour of charging
•	Highest rated 4 / 5 star crash test (4 Door SUV class) by US government
•	The car is equipped with a noise maker so that pedestrians can hear it coming. Yes, it’s that quiet.
•	COSTS:
o	Purchase is $51,000, a lease is about $600- $800 per month. $7500 federal tax credit and $2500 California state rebate apply
o	$3 to $6 to "fill up" the battery with electricity overnight at your house
o	4.8 cents per mile energy cost (2.5 miles per kWh @ $0.12 each)
•	It costs 20 cents per mile for 20mpg gas car at $4 gallon for gas 
•	Toyota Prius hybrid car costs 8 cents per mile (about 70% more)
•	Made in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada by Toyota
o	Only 2600 to be built over 3 years to comply with California Zero Emissions
o	The batteries and electric drive train built in Fremont, California by Tesla Motors. The same equipment is used in their world class Tesla Model S.
•	Eligible for California HOV (White Car Pool Lane Sticker) until January 2015


Fun Gasoline Facts:

•	To extract and refine one gallon of gasoline takes about 6 kWh of energy. That much electrical power can power a typical electric vehicle about 20 miles. 
•	In 2010, the U.S. imported oil from Mexico (11%) and from Canada (21%), however, 42% comes from OPEC.
•	Only about 25% of the energy of gasoline is used to propel a car. The other 75% of the energy is wasted as heat, in addition to the energy to extract, transport and refine.

Popular Misconceptions:

1. Electricity is produced from coal: Yes, it is in much of the USA; about 45%, but not in San Diego. Presently SDG&E has only one contract for energy that comes from coal, and it accounts for just 3% overall energy. The contract will sunset in 2013, at which time SDG&E will have no direct coal-sourced supplies. SDG&E is building a 500kV line called the Sunrise Powerlink, a 120-mile line intended to carry renewable energy (solar, wind, etc) from the Imperial Valley to San Diego. The line is expected to be in service in soon . In addition, a significant percentage of electric vehicle owners have solar panels at home.

2) Electric car batteries will fill up landfills with toxic waste: 94% of lead-acid batteries that EVERY gas car has are recycled and there is no reason that Li-ion batteries cannot be recycled as well. Unlike lead-acid batteries, in addition to recycling, a secondary market will be created for used electric vehicle batteries to provide residential and commercial electricity during peak demand periods.

3) Batteries cost too much: Yes, they are very expensive. But, like any emerging technology, the cost is coming down with widespread adoption, like televisions, computers, cell phones, etc. Electric vehicle batteries have an 8 year /100,000 mile warranty.

4) Hydrogen is today’s answer: Perhaps, in 20 years. Unlike electricity, which is everywhere, there is no efficient way to generate hydrogen, there is no pipeline infrastructure to transport it and there are no refueling stations. It also doesn’t stay in any container well (it leaks out).

5) Nobody would buy an electric vehicle without big government handouts: Currently, there is a $7500 tax credit from the US government and a $2500 rebate from the state of California. Both of these will expire eventually, and then we’ll know if this is right or wrong!! 

6) God gave us oil, so we should just use that: This is an actual statement made to me. In addition to oil, other things are also here that are “provided” that can provide power and not pollute, in addition to be perpetual, like solar, water, wind, tidal and geothermal derived electricity. No wars are required to maintain these sources, and they don’t pollute.