No Gas Required

WINTER HAVEN - His car, for comparisons sake, gets 80 miles to a "gallon." But, the car doesn't run on gasoline; it's a 2001 Toyota Rav4 Electric Vehicle (EV).

Gary Francis figures the electricity it takes to recharge the car costs $3, which takes three to five hours, depending on how much it needs. A full charge allows him to travel about 80 miles - hence, the 80 miles for $3, near the current price for a gallon of gas.

"I want to educate people about what a great car it is. I wish everyone could own one," Francis said. "It is better than a gas powered car for many reasons."

He became interested and started learning about electric cars from Al Lococo, who also is a Winter Haven resident. Lococo has converted cars from gas to electric for his own personal use and Francis set out to get him to do the same for him.

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Electric vehicles real life testing by Thierry Koskas

Renault might not be the first car manufacturer to market electric cars, as Fluence ZE and Kangoo ZE will hit the road mid 2011, but in order to give a flavour of those exciting models, a lot of pre series cars will be seen on European roads this year.

Starting this month we intend to visit 16 countries, including Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, UK, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey and Nordic countries, up until February next year.

The roadshow, that will comprise 10 electric cars and a dedicated Renault team, will give some 2,000 people – media, national and local authorities and opinion leaders – a chance to get behind the wheel of Renault's two prototype electric vehicles and experience the difference.


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Which electric car will win?

The Chevrolet Volt andNissanLeaf will square off later this year in a battle that could determine the course of the 21st-Century auto industry.

The Volt and Leaf electric cars take two radically different approaches to reducing oil consumption and emissions. The compact Volt will cover 40 miles on a charge and use an on-board generator for longer trips. The subcompact Leaf’s bigger battery pack promises a 100-mile range but won’t be capable of longer trips and will require hours of charging time after a long drive.
The vehicles’ prices will also differ significantly. Nissan has announced the Leaf will retail for $25,280, after a $7,500 federal tax credit. Chevrolet has not revealed the Volt’s sticker price, but it’s expected to cost around $32,500 after the same tax credit.
The Volt arrives in dealerships this November. The Leaf follows a month later.
The cars represent multibillion-dollar bets by GM and Renault-Nissan. The winner will be the early leader in a new technology that’s expected to eventually dominate the worldwide auto industry.

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