Everyone wants to go “green”, in theory anyhow. And it has been
asked many times why the electric car is not more commonly used,
as it is said to give off “zero emissions”. And recently with
Tesla motor company joining forces with Toyota to create the
Model S electric sedan, it seems it’s time to really evaluate
just what “zero emissions” means in the USA. First, we should
examine where our electricity comes from. It is estimated that
in the USA about 50% of electricity is derived from coal. After
coal, the second most common energy source is natural gas, which
produces about 20% of the USA’s electricity. The final 30% of
the USA’s electricity comes from non-combustible resources
(gives off no CO2), what one could consider “green”; Nuclear,
Hydro, and finally about 2% of electricity is derived from
“renewable resources” Solar and / or wind. The 2010 Tesla
Roadster boasts a 0 – 60 mph time of under 4 seconds, a fine
time for any automobile; but even more impressive when one
considers that the Roadster is an el