According to a Department of Energy (DOE) study released today, the nation's power grids can fuel millions of plug-in electric cars, and it estimated that if
"84% of the nation's 220 million vehicles relied primarily on electricity, emissions of carbon dioxide...would be cut by as much as 5%."
Wow, five whole percentage points — come on guys, let's all switch now! Oh wait, there's more,
"although vehicle-produced smog would drop in major cities...sulfur dioxide, which causes acid rain, would rise in rural areas where coal-burning power plats are located."
D'oh! The report does peg the total number of plug-ins the grid can sustain at somewhere around 180 million. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell us whether we'd also be able to turn on light bulbs or watch television with all of those electric cars plugged in. Therefore, I've no plans to trade in my gas-guzzler just yet because I'm trying to do my part for all of those people out there who want to read and watch porn at night — you know, for the kids.
U.S. Finds Electric Power Grid Can Fuel Fleets of Plug-In Cars (sub. req.) [WSJ]
Related:
Mitsubishi to Test i-Based Electric Car; Tango and Clooney [internal]