Cuda340

How many times have we heard that our Challengers are a bad idea in current times because they contribute to greenhouses gases and our dependence on foreign oil? Instead, critics say that we should be driving "environmentally friendly" cars (i.e., electric or hybrid cars).

This argument is rebutted by a report from the National Research Council. Almost every automaker is researching electric vehicles (EV) and Nissan and Renault have promised mass production in a couple of years. However, electric cars are not what they are cracked up to be. While operating these vehicles produce few or zero emissions, the electricity used to recharge their batteries relies heavily on fossil-fuel power plants that produce about 130 million tons of coal ash, waste, and elevated levels of arsenic, mercury, lead, and other toxic metals.

If EVs catch on, we will need to pump lots more power into the grid to power up millions of E-cars. This will make electricity a greater source of trouble than the internal combustion engine!

Other disadvantages are that they will be small and very expensive because of their batteries and will cost $6,000-$40,000 more than a comparable gasoline-engine car depending on how much mileage and range you want- from 40 miles to 200 mile. Imagine trying to sell a used electric car that is nearing the end of its batteries' life. Also, they take hours to recharge.

So, when you are at the gas pump and a "tree-hugger" makes a smart remark about your Challenger, just educate him!