Interesting automotive news:
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/22/bhutan-goes-electric/?hp&rref=opinion
Great idea. We know L.A. and GM can’t get together on an EV. Maybe it takes a small test bed to show it can happen. Then if it fails, only the working poor will suffer. That’s capitalism. if it works, and the locals realize a savings, some company will move in, pay off govt. officials to be the only supplier, jack up the prices and the working poor will be back where they started from. Poor.
Huh. Government gone mad? At an average per capita income of $2400, I wonder how they are going to generate enough tax to replace their fleet? Thats about ten taxpayers total income to replace one vehicle. Maybe they only have about two cars in their fleet or maybe they’ll sell bonds. New York next?
In India the Mahindra e2o electric car has a sticker price around 800,000 rupees, or about $13k US. Still not cheap, but something like that could be reasonable for the Butan govt to purchase for their fleet.
Having the rest of the country go all electric may be wishful thinking, but the govt can do their fleet change and at least incentivize the citizens to make the switch. They may not get all the way there, but it will be an interesting experiment.
I suppose if they buy them by the hundreds, the price will be more attractive. It appears to work for them.
Of course Bhutan probaly doesnt have a military,but governments can always seem to find monies for arms .Case in point these convoys of Military vehicles(made by Oshkosh and others)Hummers etc,are not nickle and dime vehicles.The “state” vehicles around here can be quite fancy.
So I say lets make saving energy and going to more efficient energy one of our hobbies(with a tangible return) some folks seem to have no problem spending thousands of dollars on old decripit junker polluting cars-Kevin