GM teams with utilities to develop electric car charging infrastructure
By Donald Melanson 
posted July 22nd 2008 2:26PM
posted July 22nd 2008 2:26PM
General Motors has already gotten a bit of cash from the US Department of Energy to further the development of plug-in hybrids, and it now looks like it's taking things one step further on another initiative, with it teaming up with the Electric Power Research Institute and 30 utilities in 37 states to produce a charging infrastructure for electric cars. Among other things, they'll be working to develop an affordable, reliable electricity source that's weather-proof and child-proof, which they say could be installed in places like public garages, curbside meters, or workplace parking lots. The utility companies, in particular, will also apparently be working to ensure that the grid doesn't get overwhelmed during peak hours. All that, GM says, will be done by 2010, which just happens to coincide with the launch of its much-touted Volt hybrid.
Ok so assuming the have the generation and transmission capacity, aren't
we just gonna wake up one day to a huge toxic mess of batteries? Can
they even be recycled and at what energy and environmental cost? Is there
even sufficient materials to make enough batteries (I recall hearing
something about lithium and some of the rare earth metals not being the
most abundant)?
Nobody seemed to care about toxic battery waste when Toyota produced the Prius.
Unknown...You bring up a great point.. Dont make the vehicle power systems dependent on the chemicals in the batteries. When better tech comes out, then swap in the new Duracells :-) The key to this hybrid - electric movement is the fact that people dont have to rely on foreign regimes to obtain power to move around. Once that problem is localized, and we all have some way to power our own lives (solar, wind, waves, human power) on a local scale, we then move to the green battery conversion where recycling can turn the toxic mess into fertilizer or other non toxic chemicals. Fines should be imposed for non "smogged" batteries or lack of, hinting improper disposal.
BigD145 that doesn't make sense due to the fact that nuclear power plants are fueled and then years later they are refueled how it would only run for 3 years. Second of all we have always mined quite a bit of our Uranium from other locations around the would specifically Canada which is the largest exporter of uranium ore. Thirdly diode3diode im amazed that you are so scared of nuclear power plants, seeing how many are operated within the united states. There are over 100 commercial nuclear reactors, 36 research and test reactors located primarily at universities and 103 operating reactors on US Naval Warships. If you live within 100miles of any of the coast line of the United States you have had a Nuclear Reactor operating within 100 miles of you. I have operated 4 different types of Pressurized Water Reactors and they are inherently safe, and the combination of Nuclear, Wind and Solar Power is the only foreseeable solution to our energy problems in the near future.
I don't know, man... I heard, one particular nuclear plant in Springfield isn't too safe...
@skulldriveshaft
Well...I am not Chad, but I'm going to reply anyways.
"When was the last time an efficient vehicle came out of GM?"
Actually, they have quite a few. The Tahoe Hybrid in particular is impressive...it gets about 21 mpg city (if I remember correctly) and it can still tow a rather healthy trailer. It's won quite a few awards for that.
Show me a car that can deliver the power and performance of a Corvette and get better mileage. They are extremely efficient.
Oh...I am guessing that you wanted a tiny high mpg car. Yeah...they can do that too, and it's on the way. I do agree that they should have been doing a little more work on it before...but even so, they do have some 35-37 mpg cars in their line up now, which is actually quite respectable.
"Is it really that hard for such a massive company to NOT produce a vehicle that has exceptional build quality and sips gasoline?"
It is hard, and yet somehow they build some good ones. Especially considering they have that boat-anchor that is the UAW hanging around their necks. Toyota and Honda don't deal with the UAW, and yet somehow their cars are good and their workers are making a living. Try convincing a union worker that this is possible though...I dare you. For fun, go do some reading on how much more the union workers are costing them than their competition.
"The board of directors, and management only give a shit about their paycheques, and they will keep shutting down / idling plants, laying off people, to ensure that their paycheques don't get smaller."
Yeah...they are a bunch of evil monsters! Every last one of them. I am glad that you know them well enough to pass judgement. Obviously you've studied them and their individual values and personal traits. I'm intrigued by your views and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
"When and if GM, or for that matter, Ford, and Chrysler stop taking hits from the bong pipe, maybe, just maybe, they can get back on track."
Yep..they are all into drugs. That explains it. See how simple you've made it? You are obviously smarter than all of them combined!
GM
i think this is something you shoud start 10 or 15 year ago.
now?kind of too late,but better then never start
good luck