Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco has been an advocate for environmental issues since taking office in 2003. Newsom’s latest proposal would turn the Bay City into a haven for electric car owners. The mayor has announced intentions to work with Shah Agassi’s Project Better Place to replace traditional cars with electric vehicles in San Francisco.
The city would become the first American city to partake in Project Better Place’s electric car initiative if Newsom gains enough support. Agassi’s organization is working currently on turning Israel into a nation of electric cars instead of gas-guzzling sedans and trucks. His advocacy of a subscription program where drivers lease electric vehicles and pay regular fees for plug-in stations is gaining ground among Israeli politicians. Project Better Place has opened a second front for its unique subscription program in Denmark where it has been received warmly.
The cooperation of automakers and extensive testing of the organization’s technology shows promise for an electrified San Francisco. Renault is producing coupes using the battery for lease in Europe and the Middle East while Nissan has committed to manufacturing cars for American retailers. Project Better Place has funded its own battery that has achieved an equivalent efficiency of 100 miles per gallon in city driving.
The chances of San Francisco emulating Copenhagen and Tel Aviv’s turn to electric cars seem good. Mayor Newsom owned an EV-1 before their recall by GM and his name is among the many prominent drivers who have signed up for the 2009 Tesla Roadster. The city’s fledgling group of plug-in hybrids is the largest in the nation. The liberal reputation of San Francisco residents means that the development of a sustainable infrastructure may be well worth the continual subscription fees for most people.
Project Better Place’s scheme for funding electrical infrastructure may be off-putting for some American drivers. A strong ownership culture remains in the United States and the idea of leased vehicles and subscription costs for public services may seem outlandish. Taxpayers should substitute the word subscription for words like tax or user fees when criticizing Newsom’s plan. Americans pay billions of dollars for road maintenance, financed vehicles and fuel that could be used on sustainable plans by Project Better Place and other groups.
