The U.S. Department of Energy will target more research spending toward the development of electric vehicle technologies, with the aim of of reducing oil imports and rising greenhouse gas emissions over the next 20 years.
The strategy was announced in the midst of heated criticism of the Obama administration over its clean energy initiatives following the bankruptcy of Solyndra, a solar company that filed for bankruptcy despite the $535 million it received from the government.
Along with this push by the Department of Energy, Pike Research is estimating that by 2017, more than 350,000 plug-in vehicles will be on the road in the U.S. They project that New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago and San Francisco will lead the way as the leading plug-in metropolitan cities, and according to population, they’re even predicting that Raleigh, NC will have the most plug-in vehicles in the country by 2017. Good news for electric highways, isn’t it?
Are you starting to see more plug-in vehicles, or even plug-in stations, throughout your city yet? With these predictions, it may not be as far off as some may think.
Via Yale e360
Image CC licensed by Al Abut: New all-electric Tesla Model S
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