Plug In, Wax Up, Hang Ten

I was reading my Wednesday morning newspaper, enjoying a fresh cup of joe out on the patio, when the story on page 14 of the Los Angeles Times almost caused me to let loose with a comedy style spit-take. It said U.S. senators were talking about adding a 15-cent a gallon gasoline tax as part of the new energy bill.

First thing I thought after safely swallowing my hot liquid was: "Good thing Hermosa Beach is getting plug-in ready ahead of the pack."

Tuesday night's City Council vote to extend free meter parking for electric vehicles (EVs) and natural gas-powered vehicles is just one sign that Hermosa Beach is serious about becoming the destination of choice for the coming wave of plug-in cars. 

So too was Councilman Pete Tucker's reminder that he and city staff have been working for months on a plan to bring plug-in charging stations to the Upper Pier project and possibly other locations in town.  Coulomb is just one of the manufacturers Tucker has met with. Its Charge Point system is installed in 24 states and the cities of San Jose, Austin and  San Francisco.

I know from personal experience that there's plenty of interest locally in EVs. I saw that enthusiasm on full display last month at Plug-In Hermosa held at St. Cross by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, which not so coincidentally is solar-powered with panels on its roof.  The church's parking lot was filled with dozens of folks from throughout the South Bay who came to check out the fleet of electric cars that included two Tesla Roadsters, two BMW Mini Es, a couple of RAV4 EVs, a Ford Ranger EV and a GEM NEV.

Long-term Hermosa Beach environmental champion and EV owner Dency Nelson, whose RAV 4 EV just passed 100,000 miles, helped organize and MC the event. He enlisted his colleagues from Plug In America to bring their cars and share their experiences.  The biggest question everyone had: When would they be able to buy their own electric car, and how much will it cost?

Zan Dubin Scott from Plug In America shared the news about the new Nissan LEAF, which goes on sale in December in limited numbers in California.  She told the Plug In Hermosa audience that EV buyers will get a $7,500 federal tax credit and a $5,000 California rebate.

Two weeks later Nissan announced that the LEAF will wind up costing Californians only $20,280 after those incentives. They're going to be hotter than iPhones at that price.

Those same rebates are going to be available for people who buy the new Chevy Volt, also available starting in December.  The early reports are that the Volt drives like a dream and is getting the 40 miles per charge its plug-in battery promises.

The Leaf and the Volt aren't the only new EV cars you'll have a chance to buy over the next 20 months as Mitsubishi, Ford, Coda, BYD, Fisker, Tesla and Toyota all have plug-in cars coming to market here.

Of course, there are a few things drivers won't get with an electric car– tuneups, spark plugs, oil filters, oil changes, smog checks or pollution coming out of their tailpipe.  They'll also get to skip the proposed 15-cent a gallon gas tax because they won't be using any gasoline.

I believe  Hermosa Beach should follow its green destiny and become the undisputed beach-city capital of these plug-in electric cars. We should make it fast and easy for plug-in owners to charge up in Hermosa so they will play, shop and eat here. 

Hermosa should warmly welcome not only visitors driving EVs but should also do everything in its power to encourage its citizens and city employees to go electric too. The city should start transforming its own fleet to EVs wherever practical and possible.

It also makes sense for Hermosa to install solar carports at every parking lot to power charging stations. The sooner the city does that the better, because the rebates and tax incentives are running out.

Joe Galliani is a weekly environmental columnist for Hermosa Beach Patch.