BruceGoFixIt

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**Go Fix Automobiles with Government Stimulus!**

Plugin-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) are cleaner, cheaper, and here! Through government stimulus, we can aid the economy, research & development, and PHEV production.

Cleaner
PHEVs are considerably more clean than gas-combustion engines vehicles. The graph in the upper right (from a joint report from the Electric Power Research Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council) compares the the fuel cycle carbon dioxide emissions of conventional, power assist hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles. It shows that on average PHEVs emit half as much carbon dioxide as conventional gas-combustion engine vehicles.

But what about when PHEVs are running off of electric power? Isn't the power grid powered by fossil fuels just like gas-combustion engine vehicles? Well, yes, it is, but the grid is getting cleaner everyday. As more alternative energy generations sites are put online, the greenhouse gas effects from electric vehicles lessen. In fact, Scientific American has reported that electric vehicles that utilize natural gas as its source have less impact than gas-combustion engine vehicles.

Cheaper
Although PHEVs have an above average initial purchasing cost, they are cheaper to operate. PHEVs cost 2-4 cents per mile to run compared to 8-20 cents per mile to operate a gas-combustion engine vehicle. The bottom line is that PHEVs cost more because batteries are expensive, yet battery technology is steadily improving and looks promising.

Here
PHEVs are here. Many automobile manufacturers have PHEV models at the ready. For example, Toyota with its Prius + and the Chevy Volt are two models coming off the assembly lines. One model, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (pictured in the center above), is already being produced in in large numbers.

Government Stimulus
Government stimulus is a powerful tool for change. The continued development of PHEVs and a boost to the economy will result from the government funding PHEVs. A perfect venue for the government to reach out into this industry is through the United States Postal Service. The USPS provides a service on a national scale that utilizes thousands of vehicles on daily basis. Because many USPS vehicles return to the post office at night, the USPS is the best suited to make a huge impact with PHEVs. Plug-in infrastructure can easily be centralized at post offices across the country and used on a large scale every day. This is a great way to stimulate PHEV production, driving down costs for the average consumer.

Images (From top right clockwise) [] []

Resources: California Cars Initiative United States Postal Service