Portugal Beats US to the Electric “Pump”
Posted on November 26th, 2008 by Christopher - 
It seems that most everywhere in the world is ahead of America when it comes to updating it’s automotive fleet. According to Reuters:
“Portugal will build 1,300 charging stations for electric cars by the end of 2011 as part of a deal with Renault and Nissan to promote zero-emission vehicles, the government and the auto makers said on Saturday.
As part of the agreement with France’s Renault and its Japanese partner Nissan, Portugal will also decree that one-fifth of all its public fleet vehicle purchases be zero-emission starting in 2011. Renault-Nissan will start deliveries to Portugal of its electric cars in early 2011, making Portugal the first European country to be supplied with electric vehicles from the alliance. In 2012, Nissan and Renault will mass-market electric vehicles globally. “
I think that part of the reason that other countries have been quicker to adapt to alternative fuel vehicles is that their is less of a fuel lobby. America has lobbyist fighting tooth and nail to keep us “gas dependant” and we have, in turn, had a populace that is unwilling to embrace new fuel technology until the brink of disaster struck.
It seems that it will take a Herculean effort to for America into the modern age. My most pervasive fear is that after our recession ends that we as a country will be right back to our old habits…lets hope this isn’t the case!
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