Tesla launches betteries for homes, businesses, and utilities

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Toyota says electric cars are a dead end and is pursueing fuel cells as the "car of the future". Which if they are right is a bad sign for Tesla/whats his name.

Me I say hybrids, electric cars, self driving cars, and anything that is going to cost me $50,000 to buy hopefully will go extinct (like the Volt)

I agree, but in some (albeit likely very isolated) areas this doesn't seem to be the case (psst...don't tell the people in the Tri-Valley part (Pleasanton, San Ramon, Dublin, and Livermore) of the S.F. Bay Area ). Between April 7-April 21st alone, I saw way more of each --- Teslas, Volts, and Leafs --- than I've seen up to that point (of each) in the entire time (all over the U.S.) each has been in production (on one day, I saw 3 Leafs and 2 Volts in under 10 minutes ). At that juncture, I wondered what the penetration of same is compared to other areas. I did a few internet searches....and....apparently half of the electric cars sold in the U.S. in 2014 were sold in California.

I've also seen cars I haven't seen anywhere else. I've seen 3 different 2nd gen Toyota RAV 4s (only a bit over 2,400 were sold in the entire U.S. during the 2012-2014 production run). I've also seen a B-series (?) all-electric Mercedes SUV, an all-electric VW Golf (started in the U.S. with the 2015 model year), and probably 10 electric Fiat 500e examples.

The world headquarters of the Safeway supermarket chain is (until next year's merger with Albertson's) in Pleasanton. The Safeway in Pleasanton that is closest to the HQ has electric charging stations just outside the store. The Fallon Gateway shopping center on the eastern edge of Dublin is still developing. There are charging stations in the front of the parking area that serves the Panera Bread/Chaat Cafe/BJ's Brewery/and The Vitamin Shoppe. These charging stations front on Fallon Road. When people get out of their cars, I've noticed they tend to look over to see what types of cars are charging in the bays. One time, 3 Fiat 500e examples were congregated there. All 3 had DGDG.com signs where the California plate would go (....a promotion...DGDG.com = the site for a dealership group that includes a Fiat dealership). I sense a sort of 'keeping up with the Joneses' vibe in that valley when it comes to electric vehicles. I suppose this isn't surprising. The Tesla manufacturing plant is just over the hill, and (per the 2010 census) Pleasanton has the highest median household income of any mid sized city (65,000-249,999 population) in the country. The Vitamin Shoppe above labels the parking spaces closest to the store to benefit those 'supposedly trying to be green'...labeling them all either 'compact car' or 'clean air vehicles only' (think the sticker on (IIRC) all of the Prius models).