Electric vehicles can reduce dependence of oil

President Dwight Eisenhower warned that if we imported more than 20 percent of the oil we use, we were asking for trouble with national security. We now import about half of our oil!

Lee Gasper-Galvin: Electric vehicles can reduce our dependence.

I have a doctorate in chemical engineering and have worked as a researcher and group leader for the U.S. Department of Energy.

I agree that reducing our dependence on foreign oil should be a top national priority.

Electric vehicles could greatly reduce our dependence, while saving consumers thousands in fueling costs.

For example, a Buick Enclave costs about 20 cents per mile for gasoline and a Chevy Cruze costs 10 cents per mile for gasoline. My converted, fully electric Saturn costs 2 to 3 cents per mile for electricity.

My electric Saturn can travel 60 miles on a charge, including highway speeds. Since most Americans typically drive only 20 to 30 miles a day or less, this is sufficient range for a second family car.

By using lower electric rates to encourage recharging at night, most consumers could own an EV before any new power plants would need to be built.

I feel so strongly about this issue that I am starting a business in Madison to convert vehicles to electric. Our EVs will cost less than $25,000.

– Lee Gasper-Galvin, Sun Prairie

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