Letters and Comments

摘要

"Will Electric Vehicles Finally Succeed?" (January/February 2011) ignores a key issue. Lithium-ion batteries exhibit a limited number of deep discharge cycles, and a car like the Chevy Volt can go roughly 35,000 to 40,000 miles before it needs a new set. Chevy will replace the batteries up to 100,000 miles, but that doesn't come free. The cost runs up to 25 cents per mile, making electric cars far more expensive per mile than hybrids. New battery technology is coming along that may make electric-vehicle miles less expensive, but it is not available now, nor will it be in the near future.