Sunset Resident Leads the Charge for Electric Cars

By Edmund G. Moy

When Ford canceled Sherry Boschert's lease and took back her "Th!nk" all-electric city vehicle to be destroyed, she was outraged. So Boschert joined with other activists to try and stop the crushing of electric cars.

Along with co-founder activist Marc Geller, she formed the San Francisco Electric Vehicle Association (SFEVA), an educational, support and advocacy group for the promotion of electric vehicles.

"Electric cars, trucks, scooters and bikes provide emission-free personal transportation using electricity, not fossil fuels," says Boschert, who last fall released a new book, "Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America."

In "Plug-in Hybrids," she tells how a politically polarized America is coming together over a new kind of car - the plug-in hybrid - that will save drivers money, reduce pollution and increase national security by reducing dependence on imported oil. She also points out that, whereas hydrogen fuel-cell cars will not be ready for decades, the technology and infrastructure for plug-in hybrids exist today.

Unlike conventional hybrid cars, which can not run without gasoline, plug-in hybrids use gasoline or cheaper, cleaner, domestic electricity - or both.

"As much as I love all-electric cars, I know that no single kind of car can meet all needs. Electric cars are great for local and regional driving. But for families that have just one car and need it for both local and long-distance driving, a plug-in hybrid is ideal," she says. "With a plug-in hybrid, local driving uses cleaner, cheaper electricity and the car has a fuel tank as a backup to give the car a longer driving range."

Among the themes of her book is that people from opposite ends of the political spectrum are coming together to demand plug-in hybrids.

"Progressive environmentalists are working alongside neo-conservative national-security hawks to get these cars on the road as soon as possible, to get us off our addiction to oil," she says. "I tell some of their stories in the book, and through them I talk about the technology, which makes it fun to read."

Since the release of her book, Boschert has been invited to speak at universities and other venues in California, Florida, Wisconsin, Arizona, Illinois, Ohio and Washington state.

But, although demand is growing, no plug-in hybrid cars are for sale, yet. However, General Motors did unveil its prototype plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt at the Detroit auto show in January and at least five other car companies are said to be working on new plug-in cars. Also, the California Air Resources Board, which motivated the sale of electric cars in the past decade through its Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate, will be updating the mandate later this year.

Boschert encourages people to educate themselves by watching the DVD of the 2006 documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?" which tells the story of how electric cars came and went in the past decade. But what can consumers do now to ensure that the new plug-in hybrids get on the road?

"If they want a car that gets 100 miles per gallon, they must demand it. The technology is ready. Tell car dealers they won't buy another new car until they can get a plug-in. No plug, no deal," Boschert says. "Ask our representatives in the U.S. Congress to support the DRIVE Act (Dependence Reduction through Innovation in Vehicles and Energy), which is bipartisan legislation that supports development of plug-in cars."

Those wanting to hear more from Boschert and learn the latest news about plug-in hybrids and renewable energy are invited to a free talk that she'll be giving in San Francisco on Thursday, March 8, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Sierra Club's headquarters, 85 Second St., third floor. Additionally, Boschert suggests that people interested in plug-in hybrids get more involved through SFEVA, which provides public outreach, education and advice for people who want to get an electric vehicle.

On Earth Day, April 22, SFEVA will be displaying an electric car at the Earth Day festivities at the San Francisco Zoo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The group also participates in various coalitions, such as Plug-in Bay Area, which works to get local governments and businesses to show that there is a demand for plug-in hybrids.

For information about SFEVA events, visit the Web site at www.sfeva.org. For information about Plug-in Bay Area, visit the Web site at www.pluginbayarea.org. To order Boschert's book or to get more information, visit her Web site at: www.sherryboschert.com. To order the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?" visit the Web site at: www.pluginamerica.com.