More thoughts on the Networked EV conference

Here are a few more notes from Greentech Media's Networked EV conference on October 20:

• While EVs are cheaper than ICEs in the U.S., they are much cheaper in Europe.  For example, in Germany gas costs about $7.50 per gallon while electricity is $0.31 per kwh.  That comes to 30 cents per mile for ICE, assuming 25 miles per gallon, vs. 10 cents per mile for an EV that gets about 3 miles per kwh.  That savings of 20 cents per mile is well above the 14 cents per mile savings that I have been using to show that EVs save money here in the U.S.
• China is already overwhelmingly electric in its transportation.  Most people ride electric scooters that go about 20 miles per hour up to 20 miles on a charge.  Unfortunately the heavy use of coal to generate the electricity negates much of the advantage of the electric vehicles. 
• Should the utilities subsidize solar power and electric car ownership?  I discussed this with one utility representative who felt that it was unfair to do this, and a poor business model.  Personally, I think the environmental benefits (avoiding destruction of civilization by global warming) more than justify subsidizing clean energy and clean transportation.  Right now, as a society, we are subsidizing the oil companies for many billions of dollars.  This should be stopped at once since it is contrary to our national and human self interests.  However, I think subsidies at this stage of solar power and electric vehicles will bring their prices down to the point where subsidies will not be needed in the near future.  And this is in the utilities' self-interest since they are going to be adding millions of new customers for their electricity services.
• I was especially happy to hear Travis Bradford speak since I had read his book, Solar Revolution, when it came out in 2007.  In fact, his book had led me to do further research and, last year, to add solar panels to our house.  I asked him if the predictions he made in his book have been on target, and he said they were.  I did a quick check and noted that his book predicted that solar would cost $4 per kilowatt by 2011, down from $6 in 2005 (page 110)  I read recently that solar prices are now about $5.25 per kilowatt, which is equivalent to $4.57 in 2005 dollars, so his numbers are not too far off.