General Motors soon will roll out an interesting variant on the hybrid car, the Volt, which runs on electricity and employs a small motor to recharge its electric battery, reports USA Today. GM says that the small, sporty car can run up to 40 miles on the on-board electric battery. The battery can be recharged in six hours — either at home at night, presumably, or in a specially equipped parking place.
It’s not clear from the article how far the car can run on the battery and gas-powered engine, but it’s clearly a lot farther than conventional electric cars. Although the article is silent on the point, I surmise that the Volt will be cheaper to fuel than hybrid vehicles because electricity, which is roughly one third the cost of gasoline, would be the dominant fuel.
The Volt is just another example of how the automobile industry is serious about bridging the gap between gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles. The car will go into production in 2010, with an SUV version in 2011.
Within a decade, I predict, a majority of new cars sold will be one variation or another of hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles. That’s wonderful news for anyone who values energy independence and cleaner air. But it’s bad news for the gasoline tax. As more and more people shift to electric power for their automobiles, the burden of paying for roadway maintenance and construction will fall on an ever-smaller number of drivers. Revenues will decline precipitously, sparking a road funding crisis.
Virginia needs to start planning now for a migration from the gasoline tax to a Vehicle Miles Driven user fee. The shift is all but inevitable. The failure to plan for it is unforgivable.
(Hat tip: Larry Gross)
(Photo credit: GM-volt.com)