Powering the electric car

The electric car may represent major new opportunities for America and its electric utilities. Widespread use of electric cars can reduce consumption of both imported and domestic oil, substituting abundant American fuels such as coal and nuclear power. Air and noise pollution can be reduced since emissions from a single power plant are easier to control than those from thousands of cars. This year-round, largely off-peak load could be supplied with little additional investment in utility plant. But powering the electric passenger car means bringing into play an energy distribution system not normally identified with transportation. In this paper, the essential components of this system, which today produces electric power and delivers it to virtually every consumer in America, are identified. Further, each of these elements, from the coal mine to the electrical transmission and distribution system, is examined to determine its capacity to accommodate the additional demand that would be created by electric transportation. Predictions of U.S. coal production for the next decade are examined and potential constraints on supply are discussed. The increasingly important role that coal and nuclear power will assume in generating electricity are emphasized and planned U.S. electric utility capacity additions are summarized. Finally, the role of the electric utility in powering the electric passenger car is discussed. The Detroit Edison electric car program is described and used as a point of departure.