There’s something almost magical about plugging your car into an outlet at night and waking up to a full ‘tank’ in the morning. There’s no need for a stop at the gas station, ever. Plus, there’s no nagging guilt that the miles metered out by the odometer are counting off one’s contribution toward any societal and environmental ills attendant with fossil fuel use.

This is a feeling experienced during the year Green Car Journal editors drove GM’s remarkable EV1 electric car in the late 1990s. Daily drives in the EV1 were a joy. The car was sleek, high-tech, distinctive, and with the electric motor’s torque coming on from zero rpm, decidedly fast. That’s a potent combination.

The EV1 is long gone, not because people or companies ‘killed’ it as the so-called documentary Who Killed the Electric Car suggested, but rather because extraordinarily high costs and a challenging business case were its demise. GM lost many tens of thousands of dollars on every EV1 it built, as did other automakers complying with California’s Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) mandate in the 1990s.

Even today, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says his company loses $14,000 for every Fiat 500e electric car sold. Combine that with today’s need for an additional $7,500 federal tax credit and up to $6,000 in subsidies from some states to encourage EV purchases, and it’s easy to see why the electric car remains such a challenge.

This isn’t to say that electric cars are the wrong idea. On the contrary, they are perceived as important to our driving future, so much so that government, automakers, and their suppliers see electrification as key to meeting mandated 2025 fleet-wide fuel economy requirements and CO2 reduction goals. The problem is that there’s no singular, defined roadmap for getting there because costs, market penetration, and all-important political support are future unknowns.

The advantages of battery electric vehicles are well known – extremely low per-mile operating costs on electricity, less maintenance, at-home fueling, and of course no petroleum use. Add in the many societal incentives available such as solo driving in carpool lanes, preferential parking, and free public charging, and the case for electrics gets even more compelling. If a homeowner’s solar array is offsetting the electricity used to energize a car’s batteries for daily drives, then all the better. This is the ideal scenario for a battery electric car. Of course, things are never this simple, otherwise we would all be driving electric.

There remain some very real challenges. Government regulation, not market forces, has largely been driving the development of the modern electric car. This is a good thing or bad, depending upon one’s perspective. The goal is admirable and to some, crucial – to enable driving with zero localized emissions, eliminate CO2 emissions, reduce oil dependence, and drive on an energy source created from diverse resources that can be sustainable. Where’s the downside in that?

Still, new car buyers have not stepped up to buy battery electric cars in expected, or perhaps hoped-for, numbers, especially the million electric vehicles that Washington had set out as its goal by 2015. This is surprising to many since electric vehicle choices have expanded in recent years. However, there are reasons for this.

Electric cars are often quite expensive in comparison to their gasoline-powered counterparts, although government and manufacturer subsidies can bring these costs down. Importantly, EVs offer less functionality than conventional cars because of limited driving range that averages about 70 to 100 miles before requiring a charge. While this zero-emission range can fit the commuting needs of many two-vehicle households and bring substantial fuel savings, there’s a catch. Factoring future fuel savings into a vehicle purchase decision is simply not intuitive to new car buyers today.

Many drivers who would potentially step up to electric vehicle ownership can’t do so because most electric models are sold only in California or a select number of ‘green’ states where required zero emission vehicle credits are earned. These states also tend to have at least a modest charging infrastructure in place. Manufacturers selling exclusively in these limited markets typically commit to only small build numbers, making these EVs fairly insignificant in influencing electric vehicle market penetration.

Battery electric vehicles available today include the BMW i3, BMW i8, Chevrolet Spark EV, Fiat 500e, Ford Focus Electric, Honda Fit EV, Kia Soul EV, Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Nissan LEAF, Smart ForTwo Electric Drive, Tesla Model S, Toyota RAV4 EV, and VW e-Golf. While most aim at limited sales, some like BMW, Nissan, and Tesla market their EVs nationwide. The Honda Fit EV and Toyota RAV4 EV are being phased out. Fleet-focused EVs are also being offered by a small number of independent companies. Other battery electrics are coming.

BMW’s i3 offers buyers an optional two-cylinder gasoline range extender that generates on-board electricity to double this electric car’s battery electric driving range. A growing number of electrified models like the current generation Prius Plug-In and Chevy Volt can also run exclusively on battery power for a more limited number of miles (10-15 for the Prius and up to 40 miles in the Volt), and then drive farther with the aid of a combustion engine or engine-generator. Both will offer greater all-electric driving range when they emerge as all-new 2016 models. Many extended range electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids like these are coming soon from a surprising number of auto manufacturers.

It has been an especially tough road for independent or would-be automakers intent on introducing electric vehicles to the market. Well-funded efforts like Coda Automotive failed, as have many lesser ones over the years. Often enough, inventors of electric cars have been innovative and visionary, only to discover that becoming an auto manufacturer is hugely expensive and more challenging than imagined. In many cases their timeline from concept and investment to production and sales becomes so long that before their first cars are produced, mainstream automakers have introduced models far beyond what they were offering, and at lesser cost with an established sales and service network to support them.

A high profile exception is Tesla Motors, the well-funded Silicon Valley automaker that successfully built and sold its $112,000 electric Tesla Roadster, continued its success with the acclaimed $70,000-$100,000+ Model S electric sedan, and will soon deliver its first Tesla Model X electric crossovers. While Tesla has said it would offer the Model X at a price similar to that of the Model S, initial deliveries of the limited Model X Signature Series will cost a reported $132,000-$144,000. It has not yet been announced when lower cost 'standard' Model X examples will begin deliveries to Tesla's sizable customer pre-order list.

Tesla’s challenge is not to prove it can produce compelling battery electric cars, provide remarkable all-electric driving range, or build a wildly enthusiastic – some would say fanatical – customer base. It has done all this. Its challenge is to continue this momentum by developing a full model lineup that includes a promised affordable model for the masses, its Model 3, at a targeted $35,000 price tag. It will be interesting to see if the Model 3 ultimately comes to market at that price point.

This is no easy thing. Battery costs remain very high and, in fact, Tesla previously shared that the Tesla Roadster’s battery pack cost in the vicinity of $30,000. While you can bury the cost of an expensive battery pack in a high-end electric car that costs $70,000 to over $100,000, you can’t do that today in a $35,000 model, at least not one that isn’t manufacturer subsidized and provides the 200+ mile range expected of a Tesla.

The company’s answer is a $5 billion ‘Gigafactory’ being built in Nevada that it claims will produce more lithium-ion batteries by 2020 than were produced worldwide in 2013. The company’s publicized goal is to trim battery costs by at least 30 percent to make its $35,000 electric car a reality and support its growing electric car manufacturing. Tesla has said it’s essential that the Gigafactory is in production as the Model 3 begins manufacturing. The billion dollar question is…can they really achieve the ambitious battery and production cost targets to do this over the next few years, or will this path lead to the delays that Tesla previously experienced with the Tesla Roadster, Model S, and Model X?

Tesla is well-underway with its goal of building out a national infrastructure of SuperCharger fast-charge stations along major transportation corridors to enable extended all-electric driving. These allow Tesla vehicles the ability to gain a 50 percent charge in about 20 minutes, although they are not compatible with other EVs. For all others, Bosch is undertaking a limited deployment of its sub-$10,000 DC fast charger that provides an 80 percent charge in 30 minutes. A joint effort by ChargePoint, BMW, and VW also aims to create express charging corridors with fast-charge capability on major routes along both coasts in the U.S.

The past 25 years have not secured a future for the battery electric car, but things are looking up. The next 10 years are crucial as cost, infrastructure, and consumer acceptance challenges are tackled and hopefully overcome to make affordable, unsubsidized electric cars a mass-market reality. It is a considerable challenge. Clearly, a lot of people are counting on it.

Here’s a thought: What if you never had to wash your car? Just think of the time and money that would no longer need to be devoted to this task, let alone the water saved in an increasingly water-starved world. That’s the concept being forwarded by Nissan through an electric LEAF sporting a special superhydrophobic and oleophobic paint designed to repel water and oils. Marketed by UltraTech International, Ultra-Ever Dry self-cleaning paint works by creating a layer of air between the car’s finish and an often hostile outside environment. The net effect is keeping standing water and road spray from messing up the car’s surface.

Will we see this anytime soon? It does appear that Nissan is taking this seriously, and the paint has been undergoing testing by engineers at Nissan Technical Center Europe. While there are no plans to offer Nissan models with the special paint, the automaker says it may make the paint treatment available as a future aftermarket option.

Getting around Hawaii is a study in diversity. Hang around the islands and you’ll see folks moving about on trolleys and buses, in cabs, rental cars, scooters, and of course on foot. We prefer staying planted at the Hilton Hawaiian Village with its array of interesting sites, nightlife, and of course its desirable stretch of Waikiki Beach. Walks to downtown Waikiki are a must to experience the vibrant activities there.

After arrival at Honolulu International Airport and a requisite lei greeting, there are plenty of choices available for getting to Waikiki and elsewhere on the island. Popular options include cabs and town cars or shared rides aboard courtesy vehicles from some hotels, on-demand SpeediShuttle, and the island-wide TheBus service.

What about rental cars? Not really on our radar unless a day trip to the North Shore is on the agenda. Typical of others, we’ve rented cars when visiting in the past, but the car was parked more than it was used. Still, what about those interesting places in the guidebook that call to you…those farther than a pleasant walk but not really distant enough to warrant the cost and hassle of a conventional rental car?

That line of thought spelled opportunity for Justin MacNaughton and Warren Doi, founders of GreenCar Hawaii, a by-the-hour ‘green’ car share service on Kauai and Oahu. Choices vary by location but include the Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, hybrids, and efficient gasoline models. Our plans on this trip included visiting Honolulu’s Chinatown and hiking the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail, with a trailhead some 15 miles from our Hilton Hawaiian Village base.

Since GreenCar Hawaii had a rental outlet at the nearby Doubletree Alana Hotel, we walked over to the Doubletree to pick up a Nissan LEAF there. We figured...if we're going to travel with a light eco footprint, why not go zero emission with a popular electric car?

The process of renting a vehicle from GreenCar Hawaii is simple and can be done online, by phone, or through a kiosk at the hotel. If the reservation was made ahead of time, a credit card is swiped at the kiosk as a reservation identifier, details for the car-share rental are shown, and a reservation check-in is printed out. Present this to the hotel’s valet parking and the car is brought up by an attendant, no different than if you were a guest at the hotel with a car in valet parking.

We knew the drill with electric cars and made sure our travels wouldn’t take us farther than the LEAF’s available range. All told, our plotted routes would consume about 60 miles so we were good to go. Those wishing to go farther than the range of the rental LEAFs can opt to charge up at numerous 240 volt Level II chargers on the island or at a handful of available fast chargers.

Picking up our LEAF from the valet, we headed out on city streets and then H1 East and HI-72 East toward the Makapu’u Point State Wayside, where visitors park their cars before heading out on the hike. The half-hour, 15 mile drive was pleasant and uneventful, the LEAF performing as expected with plenty of power and a comfortable ride.

The guidebook described the hike as ‘easy and breezy’ along a two mile paved trail. While short and do-able, it’s also a bit steep at times and warm as well as breezy. The bonus: It's good exercise and the views are unbeatable. Reaching the summit provides a great view of the Makapu’u lighthouse and two small islands nearby – Manana and Kaohikaipu. We've hiked Diamond head before and recommend this as a nice follow-up after that trek up the famous dormant volcano. Following our hike was a drive to Honolulu’s Chinatown and a quick visit to Hilo Hattie’s for souvenirs to bring back home.

Returning the LEAF to the Doubletree Alana Hotel was simple, with a swipe of a credit card at the kiosk identifying our rental details, processing the $15 per hour charge for our four hour rental, and printing out a receipt. Keys were handed over to valet parking and we were off on a walk to Cheeseburger Waikiki for loco moco and then back to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Easy breezy, as they say.

 

Toyota is now selling its all-new RAV4 EV at select California dealerships. This all-electric SUV was jointly developed by Toyota and Tesla Motors, combining a Tesla designed and pro­duced battery and electric powertrain with Toyota’s most popular SUV model. No inte­rior space was lost due to EV components

Our editors who have driven the RAV4 EV have found it to be an excellent small SUV that performs seamlessly, with an intelligent approach to electric motoring. You’re not left wanting for power, comfort,  or the kind of driving experience expected of a Toyota product…it’s all there, but without the inherent drawbacks of burning gasoline. At nearly fifty grand, though, it’s likely not for everyone.The RAV4 EV’s 154-horsepower AC induc­tion motor drives the front wheels via a fixed-gear, open-differential transaxle. There are two drive modes, ‘Sport’ and ‘Normal.’ In the Sport mode with 273 lb-ft of peak torque brought to bear, the vehicle reaches 0-60 mph in 7.0 seconds and has a top speed of 100 mph. In the Normal mode with 218 lb-ft at the ready, acceleration to 60 mph takes 8.6 seconds and top speed is 85 mph.

Its liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is a first for Toyota. Battery thermal management systems provide consistent performance in a variety of climates. The battery pack is mounted low and to the center of the vehicle, contributing to a more sedan-like ride. Two charge modes are available, with a Standard Mode charging up to 35 kilowatt-hours for an EPA-estimated range rating of 92 miles, optimizing battery life over range. An Extended Mode charges the battery to its full capacity of 41.8 kilowatt-hours to provide an anticipated range of 113 miles. The battery is warranted for eight years or 100,000 miles.

A drag coefficient of 0.30, the lowest of any SUV in the world, is an improvement over the conventional gas powered RAV4’s Cd of 0.35. To achieve this, Toyota restyled the front bumper, upper and lower grill, side mirrors, rear spoiler, and underbody design to optimize air flow. The Toyota/Tesla designed regenerative braking system increases driving range by up to 20 percent. A tire repair kit replaces the spare to reduce weight.

An innovative climate control system offers three modes. In the NORMAL mode, it operates just like that of a conventional vehicle for maximum comfort, drawing the most power and resulting in the least range. The ECO LO mode balances comfort with improved range through reduced power consumption by the blower, air condition­ing compressor, or electric heater. In cold weather, ECO LO automatically activates and controls seat heaters to optimal levels. ECO HI further reduces blower, compressor, and heater levels and also automatically activates the seat heaters as necessary. Efficiency achievements are notable. ECO LO can reduce power consumption by up to 18 percent compared with NORMAL, while ECO HI offers up to a 40 percent reduction. Remote Climate Control – set by a timer, by the navigation display, or by using a smart phone – pre-cools or pre-heats the interior while the vehicle is plugged into the grid to save on-board battery power.Driving efficiently is assisted with an all-new instrument cluster that includes a power meter, driving range display, battery gauge, speedometer, shift indicator, and multi-information display. The latter has six screens that provide information on driving range, efficiency, trip efficiency, CO2 reduc­tion, and ECO coach and AUX power func­tions. Trip efficiency displays the average power consumption in intervals of five min­utes. Eco coach evaluates the level of eco-sensitive driving according to acceleration, speed, and braking and displays an overall score. CO2 reduction, displayed graphically via a growing tree, is compared to a conven­tional gasoline vehicle.

Premium Intellitouch Navigation features EV system screens that help maximize driv­ing range. The EV Charging schedule lets customers schedule when the vehicle will charge and activates pre-climate condition­ing based on departure time. A Range Map shows how far the car can travel on avail­able battery charge. A Charging Station app displays nearby charging stations.

 

For the shortest charge time of about six hours, Leviton offers a custom 240 volt, Level 2 charger with 40 amp / 9.6 kilowatt output. The RAV4 EV comes equipped with a 120 volt Level 1 charging cable operating at 12 amps for use when the recommended Level 2 charging is not available.

The RAV4 EV comes standard with the STAR Safety System that includes enhanced vehicle stability control, traction control, anti-lock brake system, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and smart stop technology. While the RAV4 EV is pricy at $49,800, that price decreases a bit since it qualifies for a $2,500 rebate through California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program as well as a $7,500 federal tax credit. Toyota plans to sell about 2,600 units through 2014.