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28 Build Your Own Electric VehicleElectric utility plants producing electricity at the lowest cost (coal and hydro) areused to supply base-load demands, while peak demands are met by less economicalgeneration facilities (gas and oil). (Source: Energy Information Administration).By owners recharging their electric vehicles in the evening hours (valley periods)they receive the benefit of an off-peak (typically lower) electric rate. By raising thevalleys and bringing up its base-load demand, the electric utility is able to moreefficiently utilize its existing plant capacity. This is a tremendous near-term economicbenefit to our electric utilities because it represents a new market for electricity saleswith no additional associated capital asset expense.SummaryElectric vehicle ownership is the best first step you can take to help save the planet. Butthere is still more you can do. Do your homework. Write your Senator or Congressperson.Voice your opinion. Get involved with the issues. But don’t settle for an answer thatsays we’ll study it and get back to you. Settle only for action—who is going to do whatby when and why. I leave you with a restatement of the problem, a possible frameworkfor a solution, and some additional food for thought.Legacy of Internal Combustion Engine Is Environmental ProblemsInternal combustion engine technology and fuel should be priced to reflect its true socialcost, not just its economic cost, because of the environmental problems it creates:• Our dependence on foreign oil and the subsequent security risk problem• The greenhouse problem• The air quality problems of our cities• Toxic waste problem• Toxic input fluids problem• Inefficiency problemOur gasoline’s cost should reflect our cost to defend foreign oil fields, reverse thegreenhouse effect, and solve the air quality issues. Best of all, our gasoline’s cost shouldinclude substantial funding to research solar energy generation (and other renewablesources) and electric vehicle technologies—the two most environmentally beneficialand technologically promising gifts we can give to our future generations.A Proactive SolutionPeople living in the United States have been extremely fortunate for most of our nationshistory. However and more now than ever, we have issues with clean air, our naturalresources, instable governments, expensive energy costs, and while having a convenientand true standard of living second to no other country on the planet. But nothingguarantees our future generations will enjoy the same birthright. In fact, if we fold ourhands behind our backs and walk away from today’s environmental problems, weguarantee our children and children’s children will not enjoy the same standard ofliving that we do. For the sake of our children, we cannot walk away, we must dosomething. We must attack the problem straight on, pull it up by its roots, and replaceit with a solution.