New Electric Car Rules for San Francisco

The US city of San Francisco has laid down new renewable energy-based construction rules requiring all new structures erected within it to be able to recharge electric cars: an attempt at establishing itself deep within the heart of the American electric car industry, and a direction it is taking in advance of an anticipated large-scale electric car influx.

Its move precedes the imminent introduction of two new electric car designs – the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf – both of which are being advertised as ideal family cars, and both of which have the potential to be able to reach destinations at least 40 miles beyond their starting point off a single charge.

San Francisco: Electric Cars

With effect from March 2010, San Franciscan homeowners will be able to receive loans: a gesture aimed at incentivising them to install home-based recharge facilities for electric cars. This programme will be known as San Francisco’s “sustainable financing programme.”

According to recent statistics from the California Department of Finance, over 845,000 people live in San Francisco: 17,000 of them per square mile. Purely on this basis, the city offers an attractive proposition for electric car manufacturers.

Electric Car Charging

“If you want to put an electric [car] charging station in your home in anticipation of all these electric vehicles, you can do it through this green financing program”, Gavin Newsom – the Mayor of San Francisco – stated in comments made online.

US West Coast-based power firms are currently assessing how to supply all the power needed for the expected influx of electric cars in coming months and years. For example, Pacific Gas & Electric – the dominant supplier in the city – is compiling “heat-maps” highlighting city parts that might be especially susceptible to suffering blackouts as a result of electric vehicle power consumption.

The Nissan Leaf is 100 per cent electric and made its debut exhibition appearance at the recent North American International Auto Show. The Chevrolet Volt is a hybrid vehicle expected to make its market debut in November this year.