7 Good reasons to drive an electric car

They're finally here! After years of anticipation, plans, promises and the occasional test drive, electric vehicles (EVs) arrived with a thump this week: Nissan delivered the first Leaf to a customer, Chevy put 350 Volts on trucks for delivery to dealers in several states, Mercedes handed over its first leased F Cell hydrogen car (to the head of the Producers Guild of America) and Think opened its new Indiana factory with 15 City plug ins for the state's Department of Natural Resources.

Electric car

The new EVs are expensive, starting around $32,780 (the Leaf's price) and rising to $87,400 (the Fisker Karma plug in hybrid). But the purchase price can be offset with a $7,500 federal income tax credit, and state rebates and tax credits. The most lucrative of those is a $5,000 rebate for California residents, and Tennessee (where the Leaf will be built) offers $2,500 for the first 1,000 cars. A list of subsidies by state is here, but it may be out of date in some instances -- you'll need to check locally.

Here are the seven good reasons why you should drive an electric car:

1. Zero Air Pollution: Electricity is the fuel of the future and with electricity to power our transportation, our world can tap into renewable resources like hydroelectric, solar, wind, or geothermal power; resources that lessen our environmental footprint. Furthermore, studies show that millions of electric vehicles can recharge at night using existing surplus electrical generation; a vast, virtually untapped resource.

2. Save Gas: Gasoline is a precious natural resource and vital to the world economy. ZAP vehicles use no gasoline and require no oil changes. Using less fossil fuel can help relieve our current energy shortages while ensuring that future generations can rely on the same inexpensive, useful, petroleum products that we all take for granted.

3. Save Money: Gas keeps getting more expensive nowadays. Imagine all the money you can save by ZAPPING to work every day, rather than driving your gas vehicle. The typical electric car costs a penny per mile versus ten cents per mile with gas. Electric bikes and scooters are even less expensive. Plus, electric motors have fewer moving parts, meaning fewer trips to the mechanic. If you live close to work, you can save thousands of dollars per year by replacing your car with a ZAP bicycle.

4. Save Time: Traffic congestion and parking shortages eat away at our busy days, but a ZAP vehicle can help you save time, especially in busy urban areas. ZAP bikes and scooters slice through traffic jams and finding a place to park your space-saving ZAP car is a snap.

5. Help the Economy: Today, the majority of USA's foreign trade deficit is attributed to imported oil. Using a ZAP vehicle will reduce our reliance on foreign oil. Furthermore, by investing in advanced transportation technologies, the USA can take the technological lead in offering energy efficient products that emerging economies around the world can use to build their own transportation infrastructures.

6. Combat Global Warming: Evidence is mounting that carbon emissions are contributing to ozone depletion, climate change, and global warming. ZAP vehicles can reduce CO2 emissions by more than 90 percent compared to internal combustion vehicles, even counting the emissions from fossil fueled power plants. The USA constitutes less than 10 percent of the world's population, but is responsible for almost 30 percent of the world's CO2 emissions.

7. Protect the Environment: Reducing fossil fuel consumption relieves pressure on our natural resources. It eliminates the need to explore for oil in environmentally sensitive habitats. Less automotive emissions means less toxic pollutants in our air, water, and soil. Less oil consumption reduces the risk of oil spills which can safeguard sensitive coastal regions and wildlife for future generations to enjoy.