If the electric vehicle, EV is well underway through pure EVs, or hybrids, HEV or plug-in hybrids, PHEV, the next phase is to concentrate on its energy infrastructure.
After writing a few hours about the level of awareness car consumers have around this new EV and PHEV technology, the Institute of Transportation Studies also had another report on EVs infrastructure called: Refueling Availability for Alternative Fuel Vehicle Markets: Sufficient Urban Station Coverage.
The gist, EV play an important role in many aspects, climate change, energy security, urban air pollution and meeting new demand for new means of transportation. The more EV, and its associate HEV and PHEV are developed and built, the more affordable and performance they will become and have . However, we need to build the infrastructure in order for them to be an even more viable alternative to gas powered vehicles. With 164,300 gas refueling stations nationwide, recharging alternative fuel vehicles needs to grow. Groups, such as Project Better Place are already working on infrastructure looking into viable solutions. Local communities and utilities are also partnering to offer public access to electric recharging stations.
As consumers become more educated between the difference of al;ternative vehicles already being offered, this will push communities, utilities and special group to concentrate more on providing the infrastructure for these vehicles. As the above mentioned report finds, there are too many gas stations and the need is to develop and implement strategic smart recharging stations.