$4000 to buy an Electric Vehicle
 

U.S. - The Government gives up to US$ 4,000 to each buyer of an EV. A fixed percentage of all governmental vehicles to be EVs in California; preferential parking areas earmarked, subsidy on the installation of charging infrastructure and incentives by power supply utilities provided.

I found this on the REVA Electric Car site. Apparently designed in California made in India
They sell for 7000 and something pounds in the UK.

Arizona got into great financial trouble back in 2001 doing something similar with alternative fuel vehicles. The state would give huge tax credits to those who would purchase and equip their vehicles to comply with AFV standards. Tons of people went out and bought gigantic trucks, SUVs, etc., mounted CNG or propane tanks on them so the potential was there, and kept useing the fossil fuel tanks (which was ok according to the state as long as it was only 50% of the time). The people essentially got free vehicles and the state went bankrupt.

Sounds interesting, but in the "big car == big penis" United States, it'll never sell well.

Electric/gas hybrids aren't doing badly here, as they look and run more like traditional cars, but right now hybrids are prohibitively expensive in the States.

Example: The Toyota Prius is probably the best-selling hybrid in the states, starting at around $21,500 and averaging a staggering 55 MPG. Compare this to Toyota's all-gas Corolla, a four-speed Automatic averaging around 34 MPG.

If I drive 15,000 miles per year (certainly within reason for typical suburban drivers like myself), which is the better bargain? The Prius will suck up about 272 gallons of gas, while the Corolla will suck up 441 gallons over the same year's driving. At current gas prices (which I'll put at around $2.50/gallon for simplicity's sake, as regions vary), that 169-gallon difference will cost the Corolla driver an additional $422 per year.

The catch? The Corolla starts at around $15,000. Even figuring in the smaller tax break for buying a hybrid, the hybrid engine may be cleaner-running but isn't paying for itself at the pump by any means.

in Lost Angeles and surrounds, only celebrities and Cal Tech professors drive hybrids.

We recently got our first hybrid fleet vehicle here at work. Chevy full size pickup truck, new, about $21,000. The electric portion only kicks in when the engine would not be providing motive power. Drive up to a stop sign and as you approach it, lift off the gas, by the time you're decelerating to a stop, the engine is dead. Like a stall. Stop. Lift foot from brake and engine starts, pull away. Very seamless. The increased fuel economy is the draw here, about 3mpg according to the dealer. Additionally, the truck can be put in generator mode and will idle while it turns the dynamo to put out about 2500 watts at 110v through a distribution panel in the bed. Works awesome on a construction site. I'm told they were popular in Florida due to the lack of electricity and a shortage of generators. MUCH quieter than a standard genset.

Here in Seattle, I pass, hmmm, a dozen hybrids in my daily commute, in town. A commute of about 15 minutes. We have a lot of hybrids here in Seattle. They can't all be professors and rock stars.

It seems that government has decided that Hybrid technology rather than the purpose of the hybrid was more important. Honda's V-6 Accord outputs 240 HP (which is more than the Mustang 5.0 V-8). Now get even more performance with hybrid technology attached - 256 Hp. IOW performance is increased from 80 Hp/L to 85 Hp/L by adding hybrid technology - turbocharger territory. Does this increase the size of the penis? Of course - to perverts. No better hardon that one created by an accelerator pedal.

BTW for those who still feel Camaros or Mustang were high performance - well, the 5.0 Mustang at 41 HP/L has now become just a Mustang - a poor 65 HP/L. A hardon due to performance or just public masterbation?

Well at least you can get some state governments to help pay for a car with real higher performance.

Screw gas mileage. Gasoline is not yet expensive.

CONCEPT CHEVY VOLT - The New Electric Vehicle

Where did you see the $4000 price tag?

Never mind.

LCanal. Nice to see you again. I was wondering bout ya other day

I really wonder, once you factor in what it takes to make the electricity, what the real carbon footprint is for one of these?
I suspect that a hybrid works better, clean gas is better than coal.
Edit:
At least that is what I suspect. I don't think it is so easy.
Still better than an all gas guzzler though.

I can't recall where I read about it... will have to research this... but I do recall reading that the problem with these allegedly e-friendlier vehicles is that they need a battery to house the electricity, and that it is far more cumbersome on the environment to deal with the exhausted batteries, than fossil fuels are.

Currently they are worse for the environment, but in the long run the hope is that the infrastructure will be in place to make them friendlier.
I am not convinced to date.