A Gilroy free-ride-and drive event could be renamed to “What’s Under Your Hood” because popping the hood of an electric vehicle reveals absolutely nothing. This hood is empty: no cylinders, no pistons, no filters, no parts with no need for an oil change.
Thank you for the Free Lance piece (“EV show promotes benefits of clean travel,” July 3). Most drivers welcome the knowledge.
Among the EVs of Hyundai, Tesla and Nissan was the Chevy Bolt, which jolted my memory back to the year 2006 when we had our own US made EV named “Volt.” This new electric vehicle was extremely popular because of its low cost and low maintenance requirements. Imagine no more visits to gas stations. What happened?
Almost 20 years ago, this electric vehicle aptly named Volt existed as a very popular GM car which was quiet, cheap to operate and affordable. Too bad it threatened gasoline powered vehicle executives because that is how it met its demise.
Automaker executives issued directives to destroy the Volts. Obediently General Motors recalled all the Volts in the country and trashed them into enormous piles of junk.
Twenty-five years later presents another threat, not to oil executives’ profit but to our own lives dependent on the abundance of clean air to breathe as Silicon Valley Clean Energy and Breath California sponsored this Gilroy event.
The understanding Chinese now produce a very good affordable EV which enjoys high demand on the world market. Our country limits imports because high tariffs would double the price for American consumers.
In this transition period—which can exhaust fossil fuels—we can hope to use an inexhaustible source of energy provided by wind, sea and sun. Our colleges and universities can provide unlimited brain power for the needed technology while providing endless employment for all.
Mary Zanger
Hollister
While promoting clean energy cars offers environmental benefits, it does not guarantee a sustainable or equitable solution. Electric vehicles rely on critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, whose mining can cause environmental damage, consume large amounts of water, and raise labor and human rights concerns in some regions. Manufacturing EV batteries also generates significant carbon emissions before the vehicle is ever driven. In addition, many areas still rely on electricity produced from fossil fuels, reducing the immediate climate benefits of electric cars. High purchase costs and limited charging infrastructure can also make clean energy vehicles less accessible to lower-income households. Rather than placing primary emphasis on clean cars alone, a broader strategy that includes public transportation, cleaner electricity generation, and reducing overall vehicle dependence may achieve greater environmental and social benefits.