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Washington: A futuristic-looking fleet
of all-electric cabs may soon be plugged in and driving on the
streets of Arlington, Virginia, near the nation's capital, a sign
the environmentally-friendly vehicles are slowly catching on as a
viable means of transportation in the US.
"No one has really taken the first step to do this," said Malik
Khattak, founder of Electric Vehicle Taxicab Company, who has
proposed a fleet of 40, all-electric Nissan Leaf cars he says will
be the first taxicab fleet of its kind in the US.
Khattak envisions cars equipped with iPads and wireless internet
access that allows web browsing and offers passengers the
flexibility to pay with a credit card.
But the most unique feature is the all-electric function, which
allows each car to go an estimated 159 km before recharging.
And there are other plusses.
"It's an electric car. It never needs an oil change," said Khattak.
"It has zero emissions, which means nothing comes out of the
tailpipe."
He adds, it reduces the nation's carbon footprint and could give
him a competitive advantage with customers who are looking for
ways to help the environment.
If the plan is approved, the company has pledged to install 56
charging stations in its service area, which would charge the cars
in under 30 minutes and allow them to operate 24 hours a day.
The service stations could address one concern customers have
expressed about buying and driving the electric cars: there aren't
currently enough places to plug them in.
Khattak wants the community to have access to the charging
stations, a move that may encourage people to give them a go.
More exposure to electric cars, "is a way to build consumer
awareness and comfort with the new technology", said Genevieve
Cullen, vice president of the Elective Drive Transportation
Association, which promotes electric transportation in the US.
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