With so many choices of electric and hybrid technologies now available commercially, potential buyers need a resource that can help them understand which options would best suit their needs. “Plugging In: A Consumer’s Guide to the Electric Vehicle,” is an 8-page brochure published by Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) that defines and compares driving range, charging times, fuel requirements, and effects of weather and driving conditions for a variety of hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles.

The publication also lists vehicles currently on the market and models scheduled to be available later in 2011 and in 2012, and has a question and answer section that explores and answers a number of the most common questions asked about electric vehicle technology compared to hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Charging and purchasing considerations are among the topics covered in this section.

The ability to charge an electric vehicle while on the road will enable consumers to use these vehicles for road trips. Towards that end, Google, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and more than 80 leading organizations involved in electric vehicle deployment are collaborating to provide accurate, up-to-date information on the locations of electric vehicle charging stations.

Aker Wade Power Technologies' Charging Station

The partnership, called GeoEVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment), will establish a primary data source for GPS and mapping services tracking electric vehicle charging stations.

The DOE’s Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center already provides consumers with the locations of more than 600 EV charging stations through the Alternative Fueling Station Locator. The GeoEVSE Forum will enhance the collection, cataloguing, and publishing of information on charging stations found on that website.

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