Sometimes, it's best to leave it parked

AutoWeek ^ | Friday, August 6, 2010 | MARK VAUGHN

[Willie Green]

After driving the new Scion tC in San Diego all day, I got back on the Amtrak Surfliner at 3 p.m. and headed north to Los Angeles, the laptop plugged in to a convenient 120-volt, three-pronged outlet and me typing the whole way. Again, I could look out the window and see, in addition to a one- to two-foot west swell at Trestles, traffic slowly crawling along on Interstate 5. I was glad not to be in a car. Is there anyone who loves driving in stop and go traffic for 128 miles? (One guy said that because I took the train I should not work at a car magazine. How can you argue with logic like that? Sometimes I take airplanes, too. What do the airplanes mean? Don't anyone tell him I have a couple of bicycles.) This time the train was pretty much full, meaning the Surfliner's diesel electric hybrid (not just a diesel) was being used more efficiently.

I got to Union Station a little after 4:30 p.m. and returned to the i-MiEV in the $6-a-day underground parking garage. So the whole trip cost $62.

There were four spaces in the garage for electric vehicles. Two had inductive paddle chargers just in case anyone came by with an EV1 and two had those older RAV4 EV conductive chargers, neither one of which did me any good. Why they didn't have a simple 120-volt plug is beyond me. Heck, why not a simple 240-volt 20-amp plug? With the coming influx of plug-in hybrids and electric cars, such outlets would draw more customers.

As it was I didn't need to plug in. Round trip to and from Union Station was only 33.9 miles and the whole thing used 7 kWh. I waited until 9 p.m. and started charging the i-MiEV. It'll be full at oh-dark-thirty when I head in to work, where I can once again plug in and recharge, now that building management realizes they won't go bankrupt. At least not because of the i-MiEV. If only I could recharge as easily as an electric car.

[tcrlaf]

From the article, which I think you didn’t read?

[Cronos]

Gas imports from the ME should be banned. Gas from Alaska should be used in such a way that we ensure that we never have to depend on any Middle Eastern or Venezualan idiot for any % of American fuel. We of course need petrol for plastics, etc. etc, so care should be taken for these.

[KevinDavis]

LOL!! Right Willie, the American people going to give up their freedom (i.e. my car) to ride the train...

[Cronos]

well, it depends on where you live. In NY CITY (specifically if you live in the city limits), it does not make sense to go by car, except for special occasions or otherwise as you'd get stuck in traffic). In Texas, it's the opposite -- a car will get you there faster and more conveniently.

I see that you are from California. What do you think of his statement about the 128 mile traffic jam? And, if I may ask -- do you live and work in an urban or suburban or rural area or live in a suburban and work in an urban area? LA, btw, is a place you NEED a car.