The 'struggle' of the electric car

Australian governments are 'evaluating' a 4 seater completely electric car from Mitsubishi. And in a year or two's time, it might get the go ahead to be sold in Australia. That should give the business-as-usual luddites time to marshal objections and develop a counter plan.

Sure, the i MiEV has already passed 83 safety requirements (the usual reason for stopping electric vehicles). And it only costs a couple of dollars on an ordinary overnight domestic power point for a full charge (30 minutes on the speed charger), ready for 160 km of quiet, clean, kick-arse motoring (speed limited to 130km/h).

Even with the dirtiest coal power station at the other end, pollution is reduced by 70% compared with petrol cars. And Australia is the most urban country on the planet, with 50% of the population travelling less than 50 km per day, and 83% travelling less than 100 km per day. I'm not saying -everyone- needs an electric vehicle, but it could 'do the job' for quite a lot of Australians.

The Federal Transport Minister was brimming with praise for the i MiEV. Let's see if he backs it up with action, hastening its introduction to the Australian market place (like the Japanese government did).

I imagine the Federal government will be doing its sums over lost fuel tax revenue. That alone should stop electric cars dead. No government will willingly forego those billions. No need to make alternative arrangements or factor in health, environmental, noise etc. savings, just stick your heads in the sand, that's the way.

Not to mention the millions vested interest companies will spend, rather than change. No, -they- don't need to change, we'll suffer a lower quality of life, we'll do all the changing. Holden and Ford haven't made a profit in years, Federal taxpayers are subsidising these companies $200,000 a year per Australian worker to keep them going, and I'll bet the lifestyles of their top management haven't suffered.

The i MiEV is in production and goes on sale from the middle of this year, overseas.

To the vested interests I say "Let the i MiEV in. Nobody will buy it. You have nothing to worry about. We'll keep buying your filthy 20th century technology. No need for you to change."

In the mean time Mr Rudd, how about we start some new industries, just in case this green fad catches on? Let's start manufacturing lithium-ion batteries, electric motors and drive trains, get ahead of the game (maybe reduce the cost of the i MiEV) and quit whinging about all the old ancillary automotive industries decline. Now that's stimulus!

And while we're at it, lets only be a decade behind California in cleaning up the power generation end of the business, too. Australia has an abundance of solar, wind, hydro, thermal and tidal power generation resources. Let's at least try to keep up with the game there too, Mr Rudd. Or are we going to sit back and whinge about the death of the old economy? Stimulus again, Mr Rudd.

Refs
Federal Transport Minister
Mitsubishi i MiEV site
about the car
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