EV owners in N.J. would pay $150 more annually, if governor OKs higher gas tax

How this for tortured reasoning? If New Jersey raises the gas tax about 23 cents a gallon to fund the state's transportation network, owners of the Tesla Model S, BMW i3, Nissan Leaf and other EVs would be hit for an extra $150 each year "to offset lost gas-tax revenue," according to news reports.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

New Jersey officials have been sending mixed messages to owners of all-electric cars.

As an incentive, the state waives the 7% sales tax on EV purchases. That's a $5,600 savings on an $80,000 Tesla Model S 60.

And last year, Governor Christie signed a bill that allows Tesla to sell its revolutionary cars directly to consumers.

Now, Democrats and Republicans in the state Legislature are trying to convince the governor to approve a higher gas tax to save the Transportation Trust Fund, which is expected to run out of money in about two weeks.

As part of the deal, the legislative leaders have offered to phase out the state's estate tax in three years, and boost to $75,000 the amount a retiree may exclude from income taxes.

$150 fee on EVs

And EV owners would be required to pay $150 extra every time they renew their registrations "to offset lost gas-tax revenue," The Record of Woodland Park reports today.

New Jersey car owners are required to register annually.

There are about 2,500 EVs among the 5.7 million registered vehicles in New Jersey -- far fewer than in New York State (12,000), Massachusetts (5,500) and even Connecticut (3,000).

The $150 penalty doesn't make sense, given how zero-emission EVs benefit the environment.

In unveiling the Model 3 on March 31, Tesla CEO Elon Musk noted record high carbon-dioxide levels, and said 53,000 people are killed every year by auto emissions.

So, maybe the $150 fee should be levied on any car using gasoline -- not on EVs.

New York Auto Show: We'll be choking on most of these cars for many years to come

BETTER PLUG-IN: For green-car enthusiasts, tree-huggers and other lovers of the environment, Toyota on Wednesday unveiled the 2017 Prius Prime. The plug-in gas-electric hybrid, above, gets 120 or more MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent); and travels 22 miles and up to 84 mph in electric mode.

EV FROM KOREA: Meanwhile, Korean automaker Hyundai debuted its Ioniq line -- a gas-electric hybrid, a plug-in hybrid and a fully electric sedan, above, all with conventional styling and interiors. Prices weren't given.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Automakers use the media at big shows in New York and other world capitals to distract consumers from an over reliance on the antiquated internal-combustion engine to snare big profits.

On Wednesday, I walked the floor of the New York International Auto Show in Manhattan for about 5 hours, only to find a couple of new green cars that will go on sale soon.

Instead, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Nissan, Maserati and other automakers pitched their cars as the fastest, best-performing on earth -- and to hell with air pollution and climate change.

And the media -- desperate for ad revenue from oil companies, automakers and their legions of greedy dealers -- go along for the ride.

Media negativity

Since Toyota imported its first gas-electric hybrid in 2000, the number of negative, even hostile articles in the enthusiast and general press have numbered in the hundreds.

As they did in 2000, the media continue to virtually ignore the environmental benefit of green cars. 

Even green-car leader Toyota has begun to run Prius ads emphasizing performance, not fuel savings; and certainly never reductions in air pollution, disease and death. 

Tesla's Model S has been on sale since 2012, but the California-based company doesn't advertise.

Nor is it showing its swift and silent all-electric, zero-emissions hatchback at the New York show or crowing about its nationwide network of free-for-life Superchargers.

Instead, Tesla Motors relies on word of mouth, and sells its luxurious four-door hatchback directly to consumers.

That pisses off dealers, publishers, editors, auto writers and bloggers, who enjoy free loans of the cars they are writing about, junkets, and wining and dining at invitation-only events.

BIG QUESTION: General Motors says the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV will offer a range of about 200 miles on a full charge when it goes on sale at the end of the year. At the auto show on Wednesday, no executive was available to say whether Bolt buyers will get free charging for life, as do buyers of Tesla's Model S and the new, smaller Model 3, which is to go on sale in California at the end of 2017.

ONE-PEDAL OPERATION: BMW's all-electric i3 got a big head start on General Motors, but has a range of only 81 miles on a full charge. The i3 has been on sale since 2014, and its strong regenerative braking can bring the car to a full stop without use of the brake pedal.

Tesla tops EV sales

Despite media hysteria over how "expensive" a Tesla is, the Model S was the best-selling EV in the United States in 2015 and the first two months of 2016, according to Automotive News.

Its New York Auto Show Preview listed sales for the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S (estimates), BMW i3, Fiat 500e, Smart ForTwo EV, and VW e-Golf.

In 2014, the Leaf led the Model S -- 30,200 to 16,550. The i3 sold 6,092 units; 500e, 6,029; and Smart EV, 2,594.

In 2015, the Model S outsold the Leaf, 26,400 to 17, 269. The i3 sold 11,024 units; 500 e, 4,409; and e-Golf, 4,232.

In the first two months of 2016, Model S sales are estimated at 3,200, compared to the Leaf, 1,685; eGolf, 526; i3, 430; and 500e, 412.

Low gasoline prices were cited, but the price per gallon is beginning to rise again. 

See:

Maserati's irresponsible 164-mph SUV

First drive of hydrogen fuel-call car

FOR SPEED FREAKS: Ars Technica dubs the 2017 Nissan GT-R as "Godzilla Redux." Of course, we need this "faster ... supercar slayer" like we need a hole in the ozone layer.

GLOBAL WARMER: Ditto the Ford GT, which will be raced at Le Mans in June after disappointing finishes at Daytona and Sebring. A production model will be limited to 500 units.

TOP-DOWN POLLUTION: Porsche showed a new 718 Boxster that looks a lot like the old Boxster. Imagine how much fun it will be inching up to the tollbooth at the Lincoln Tunnel.

DISTRACTED DRIVING: Yet another new Mercedes-Benz is likely to drive owners crazy with interior controls from hell --dashboard, doors, steering wheel and console jammed with wheels, switches, buttons, a touch screen and even a rear-view camera you can turn off for some insane reason.

JAPAN v. ITALY: A new Mazda MX-5, including one with a targa-style top, is getting some competition from Fiat, below.

FIX IT AGAIN TONY: A performance version of the Fiat 124 Spider, above and below.

BIGGER IS BIGGER: Buick Avista concept.

ROLLING BEDROOM: If this monstrosity from Lincoln ever reaches production, the doors will be conventional, but the three steps will be standard so owners can climb into the land barge. One possible option is a 100-gallon gas tank.

BEST IN BLACK: Look for the new Lincoln Continental in Manhattan's black-car-for-hire fleets and as limousines at an airport near you.

TOYOTA EV: The three-wheel i-Road is a fully electric urban vehicle for two that leans on curves and at corners like a motorcycle, above and below. Toyota hasn't announced production plans.

TWO TO A SPOT: Two i-Roads can be parked side-by-side in a single parking space.

Even with limited range, EVs are perfect for lifestyle of a group the media ignore

An all-electric car with a range of about 85 miles like the Nissan Leaf or BMW i3 is ideal for many senior citizens, whose driving is limited to food shopping, visits to doctors, volunteering, and driving to senior centers or the gym.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

A huge group of well-to-do Americans greeted the "reveal" of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt with a yawn on Wednesday.

Retired seniors already have a nice choice of affordable all-electric cars that fit their lifestyle and the limited driving they do, including the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3.

The Bolt, with a range of 200 miles and a starting price of $37,500 before options, will be a little late to the game when it goes on sale at the end of this year or early next year.

And if an affluent senior wants to reward himself or herself for a lifetime of hard work, they certainly would pick a jazzy red Tesla Model S over the pedestrian-looking Bolt.

That way they could take advantage of a network of free and fast Tesla Superchargers, which Chevrolet hasn't addressed.

The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt four-door hatchback can be mistaken for a lot of economy cars on the road today.

Tax-credit myth

The news media often repeat the claim of General Motors and other automakers that the cost of their plug-in EVs will be reduced by a federal tax credit of up to $7,500.

What they don't say is that you still have to lay out the 40 grand or more before you can apply for the credit in the following tax year.

The minimum tax credit is $2,500 plus $417 for a battery with at least 5 kilowatt hours of capacity, and it goes up $417 for each additional kilowatt hour, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

The Tesla Model S I bought last April has a 60 kilowatt-hour battery, and would qualify for the full $7,500 credit this year.

But if I don't owe the IRS the full $7,500 in taxes, than I'd get a lower credit or none at all.

Many retired seniors don't pay federal taxes so the tax credit is useless to them, and it may prove to be useless to me, too.

Jersey payoff

There is an immediate payoff, if you buy an all-electric car in New Jersey -- you don't have to pay the 7% sales tax.

That's a nice piece of change in your pocket -- $2,800 for an EV that costs $40,000 with options and about $5,600 for a Tesla Model S.

Limited driving

I'm retired and live in northern New Jersey.

On Tuesday, I drove my Model S about 50 miles, including a visit to the gym and supermarket in the morning, lunch at a Japanese restaurant in the afternoon and on an errand in the evening.

On Wednesday, I drove even less, making two stops in Englewood before returning home.

Chevy pulls out phallic symbol in hopes 2016 Volt doesn't flop like earlier model

This image from a Chevrolet Web site shows a male model holding the end of the charging cable for the 2016 Volt, a second-generation plug-in hybrid. The blatant phallic symbol seems to be a desperate move by parent General Motors, and it might make you wonder what the model is doing with his other hand.

With a 240-volt outlet installed at home, the 2016 Volt's battery recharges at a glacial pace -- only 11.7 miles per hour -- compared to more than 30 miles per hour in an all-electric Tesla Model S. What would a Volt owner do on the road, stay in a hotel overnight?

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The first-generation Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid had the longest battery range in the industry, yet only 100,000 units were sold worldwide in 2010-15.

Chevrolet is hoping to avoid a similar debacle with the 2016 Volt, displaying a phallic symbol on its official site, and exaggerating improvements in the second-generation gas-electric car.

Now, the Volt has an all-electric range of 53 miles, but after that you'll have to rely on fossil fuel, aggravating air pollution and climate change.

Still, General Motors says "Chevy expects owners to go more than 1,000 miles between fill-ups by charging regularly."

How much that electricity costs isn't mentioned, though Chevy says the car can be programmed to take advantage of off-peak electric rates.

This smells

No such off-peak rates are available to homeowners in New Jersey, and I would expect the same is the case in many other states.

Referring to its 1.5-liter gasoline engine, Chevy calls the Volt "an electric car with a back-up plan."

Chevy's seeming desperation leads some observers to wonder whether the new Volt's high price will result in as big of a flop as the old model.

The 2016 Volt is available in LT trim at an MSRP of $33,170 and the Premier is $37,520 (before tax, title, license and dealer fees).

Bolt price rises

The automaker's all-electric Bolt still is nearly a year away from going on sale, yet Chevy already has revised the expected price to "under $40,000" from a starting price of $30,000.

Nissan is the sales leader when it comes to all-electric cars, and even BMW, a relatively small carmaker, started selling a purely electric car last year.

See: An electric car in name only

How can Chevrolet sell an electric car with a 200-mile range for less than the Volt?

The Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept has an ambiguous name to go along with an ambiguous production date. Many auto writers are reporting it will be available as a 2017 model with a 200-mile range, but haven't you seen many concepts that never lived up to the splash they made at the auto show? 

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

A bolt is a fastener.

Now, Chevrolet is calling an all-electric concept with a 200-mile range a Bolt, which rhymes with Volt, the plug-in hybrid with a limited EV range it has been selling since December 2010.

A new Volt is to be unveiled today at the auto show in Detroit.

The official press release calls the 4-door Bolt "a vision for an affordable, long-range all-electric vehicle designed to offer more than 200 mile of range starting around $30,000."

Chevrolet officials haven't explained how the Bolt can be sold in two years for thousands of dollars less than the current Volt, which has an MSRP of $34,345.

In what appears to be a shot at Tesla's Model S, a 4-door luxury hatchback that starts at $69,900, General Motors CEO Mary Barra said the Bolt EV is "designed for attainability, not exclusivity."

The Bolt concept reminds some viewers of the more expensive BMW i3, which is available both as an EV and as a plug-in hybrid.

The i3, in turn, seems to have several styling cues that recall the Honda Passport.

200-mile range?

If the 2017 Bolt does achieve a range of 200 miles or more, it would be the first production car to come near the 208-mile range of the base Tesla Model S 60.

Now, several EVs claim to have a range of about 85 miles, including the Nissan Leaf, Mercedes-Benz B-Class and BMW's i3.

BMW i3: Silent, one-pedal operation with a security blanket hidden in the trunk

The 2014 BMW i3 is available as an all-electric vehicle or as a plug-in hybrid. The grille and hood badge are familiar, above, but the carbon-fiber passenger compartment over an all-aluminum platform and battery set it apart from the German automaker's other cars.

The production car, new this year, looks much like the concept that was shown in 2011. The rear doors on the four-door hatchback can be opened and closed only when the front doors are open, below.

The silver latch for the rear passenger-side door. This was the same system used in the Honda Element, a boxy SUV that went out of production in 2011. In fact, when you see an Element on the road, the styling will remind you of the sleeker BMW i3.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

You don't have to drive the new BMW i3 very far before you discover several remarkable features in this all-electric car, which is also available as a plug-in hybrid.

The one I like best is the possibility of one-pedal operation: 

When you lift off of the gas pedal completely, the car slows to a stop, generating energy that recharges the battery.

And, yes, the brake lights do come on, even though you might never touch the brake pedal. 

Another great feature is the silence -- a complete absence of mechanical noise and transmission shifts.

On a smooth road, the car, rated at 170 horsepower, accelerates quickly and quietly, and you might find yourself inadvertently driving over the speed limit. 

The BMW i3 in my garage, next to my wife's 2007 Toyota Prius. The i3 is shorter than my 2010 Prius, a gas-electric hybrid, but a few inches higher with a higher seating position, and I kept on hitting my shoes on the sill as I got in.

Two days with the i3

I've been trying without success to borrow an i3 from BMW's U.S. headquarters in Woodcliff Lake.

But Park Avenue BMW in Maywood offered me an extended test drive of the i3 with the optional "Range Extender" -- a 2-cylinder engine that uses premium fuel and recharges the battery, if you exceed the all-electric range of 81 miles.

With that option, you go from all-electric operation to an electric-gas hybrid.

BMW says the Range Extender adds up to 69 miles on 1.9 gallons of gasoline, and boosts the MSRP of the base model to $45,200 from $41,350.

I was told this security blanket is hidden below the floor of the rear hatch area, but it never kicked in while I had the car.

I put on only 55.4 purely electric miles in two days, doing the usual errands of a retiree, including food shopping in Paterson; meeting a friend for lunch at a Route 17 diner and taking him for a spin, and driving my wife and son to and from the dentist in Fair Lawn.

The bottom line

After 14 years of driving Toyota Prius hybrids, I plan to make the natural transition to an affordable zero-emissions, all-electric car.

The i3 can certainly be considered "affordable," but its limited range takes it out of the running, and the Range Extender defeats the whole purpose of wanting to kick the gasoline habit. 

We usually drive up to Montreal in late June for the International Jazz Festival, a round-trip of more than 700 miles.

In a BMW i3 without the Range Extender, that trip would take a lot of planning.

A full charge takes 3.5 hours at a special charging station or at one installed in your home.

I got another 33 miles of range by plugging the i3 into my 110-volt garage socket overnight.

You could joke the 2014 BMW i3 was born electric, but proved anemic and got an operation to graft on the optional Range Extender. The charging port is on the rear passenger side fender, above, and the gas cap in on the front passenger-side fender, below.

BMW i3 v. Toyota Prius

On Thursday, I drove my 2010 Prius to Park Avenue BMW's service department in South Hackensack, parked my Toyota and got the key to an i3 that turned out to be covered with lettering -- a rolling advertisement for the car and dealer.

Client Advisor Craig Cayetano gave me a quick tutorial and I was off. 

I had read about the strong regenerative-energy system and feared it would take a lot of getting used to, but it was a snap to operate and I loved how the car slowed and came to a stop when I lifted my foot off of the gas pedal.

The regenerative system is progressive -- release pressure on the gas pedal a little and the car slows a little, such as when you enter a curve.

The i3 is stiffly sprung and corners on proverbial rails, despite narrow tires.

The narrow 19-inch tires have low rolling resistance.

In front of you is the screen displaying your range in miles. The screen said 50 miles on electric, 44 miles on gasoline.

A second screen is devoted to navigation, media, radio and so forth. The base model I borrowed does not come with a touch-screen navigation system or a back-up camera, two optional features I have in my 2010 Prius.

The shift lever for the one-speed transmission is visible through the adjustable steering wheel, but you have to reach around the wheel to use the start-stop button, shift the car into gear and put the transmission into park. The parking brake is located on the console below.

This infernal dial is nowhere near as intuitive as the controls in a Toyota Prius or any other Japanese car. There are other controls on the steering wheel, such as cruise control and a button for answering a Bluetooth-connected mobile phone.

Three driving modes

There are three driving modes -- Comfort, Eco Pro and Eco Pro+, but you have to select one each time you start the car, in contrast to the Prius.

The most economical in the i3 is Eco Pro+, but that shuts off the climate system and limits the top speed to 56 mph -- not an option with outside temperatures in the 30s and 40s.

The interior of the base model (Mega World) is spartan, and employs recycled material. 

The seats aren't electrically adjustable, but they can be heated.

A nice touch is that when you unlock the car, the exterior door handles are illuminated.

The BMW i3 is fast and quiet.

The roomy rear seats.

Rubber straps under the hatch and security cover helped secure 3-liter glass bottles of extra-virgin olive oil -- for my kitchen, not the car. The Range Extender, a 2-cylinder gasoline engine that is the electric car's security blanket, is hidden out of view.