Even gun supporters drive electric cars

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I think there is a misconception that only stoned hippie Earth loving environmentalist vegetarians are electric car drivers / supporters. The truth is there really is no stereotypical EV ( electric vehicle ) driver / owner. Electric car drivers come from all walks of life and political viewpoints.

Many EV owners understand that a country that uses it’s resources wisely is a strong country. Others have come to realize that buying an electric car in the United States is buying American. Every EV currently available except for the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is manufactured here in the USA. These vehicles are also being produced with more American made parts. This isn’t always true for gasoline powered cars. While most are produced in the United States – many times the internal parts are from Canada, Mexico, China, South Korea or other country.

The energy to power these cars is produced by American power plants. Normally not owned by some foreign conglomerate like many gas / oil companies. Some power plants are even locally owned – like ours here in Springfield Illinois. While these sources are not always clean, green and non polluting – they are produced by American workers from in most cases American resources.

Electric cars do eliminate pollution produced from a tailpipe. This makes neighborhoods and cities cleaner with better air quality. Just look to China for what happens with to many gas powered cars on the road and heavy electricity production from dirty coal. Granted it doesn’t help that gasoline standards there allow for a lower grade dirtier fuel to be sold at the pump. Supposedly this is being changed.

For some reason many people feel gasoline production has no negative effects on their chosen State. Here in Illinois there are several examples of that not being true. There have been oil pipeline leaks / disasters. Petroleum coke ( also known as petcoke ) a dusty byproduct of the Canadian oil boom is piling up high in the Chicago area. Causing environmental and quality of life issues in the communities near the toxic black dust waste piles. Southern Illinois in the next few years will also start seeing the disastrous effects fracking has on a community.

Some people are smart enough to know that an electric engine is more efficient than a fossil fuel engine. Electric engines offer more power ( torque ) than a gasoline engine – all in a much smaller less complicated package – one moving part versus multiple moving parts. An EV over it’s operating lifetime will be less expensive to own – less parts to break / maintenance and electric power is cheaper than gasoline.

Point being it’s more than environmentalist purchasing electric cars. A lot of buyers understand the value in doing so. Many of them also realize that purchasing an EV is helping to create or keep jobs in the USA.

This Mitsubishi i-MiEV was leased by a couple attending the 2013 National Plug In Day in Normal Illinois. The female half asked me if I was with the media – my answer was no. Their i-MiEV was one of many that day – but I was trying to record all of them I could. Of course theirs stuck out a bit more with the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and Illinois State Rifle Association stickers.

Both were very cordial and we had a good conversation. They both seemed happy with their i-MiEV experience. Of course it helps when you live where a local dealership gives awesome lease pricing on the car. I don’t recall asking them if they had a second vehicle or if they mentioned it. It’s highly possible if they are hunters that they own a pickup truck. Unfortunately that most likely isn’t powered by E-85 or B100 biodiesel if they do.

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I’d assume the orange Deer Camp hat in the back window of this white Nissan LEAF doesn’t mean they are going to a petting zoo and cuddling with bambi.

Silver Mitsubishi i-MiEV Washington Park Springfield Illinois

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Mitsubishi i-MiEVs Lt. Governor Sheila Simon tent 2012 Illinois State Fair

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