The first commercially available "Zero-emission" vehicle is finally here: The Nissan Leaf.
Everyone thinks that it is the first true Zero emission vehicle, but it is not.
Although Daimler Chrysler built a street legal electric car before Nissan, it was very limited in it's operational ability.
The Nissan Leaf is a complete car offering protection from the elements while offering Freeway flexibility that left Chrysler's GEM vehicles in the parking lot.
It offers 100 mile range and Nissan has even set up a navigation system that will not only tell you how much further you could drive, but also where the closest recharging station is.
Currently there are no rapid recharge stations and this could be a technologically large infrastructure hurdle.
Why? All the automakers need to have the same type of recharging receptable.
Alas, if only the cell phone makers would do this.
Not to worry though.
The LEAF comes with an onboard trickle charger so that when you run out of juice you can plug the car into a 120V 20 Amp outlet for a day and recharge it.
Or, for $2000 you can have Nissans home charging station installed in your garage.
When you charge it this way, a strange thing happens.
The car no longer becomes a "Zero Emission" vehicle.
It now uses electricity from your local utility company.
So you may be burning coal to power that zero emission vehicle.
Not such a pleasant thought.
So how do you keep your "zero-emission" car pure? By purifying the source of that power.
Today it is easier than ever to convert your house to run on a solar or wind generation by doing it yourself.