The American Spectator

Mr. Tucker also states that Toyota has finally relented and offered “electric hookups” in its latest models. I am currently shopping for a hybrid vehicle and after much research and visiting a number of Toyota dealerships I can say with 100 percent confidence that Toyota does not presently offer any hybrid vehicle with plug-in capability.

p>I agree with Mr. Tucker’s points regarding the liberal use of the so-called documentary to advance a left-wing agenda and even agree that the makers of the “Who killed the electric car” documentary are way off base, but including easily verifiable inaccurate statements in his article undermines his credibility. br> — Allen Helton /p>

I just finished reading William Tucker’s article entitled, “Liberals Find Their Groove,” which is focused mainly on the EV1 electric car. I was dismayed by the number of misleading statements and factual errors he managed to put into it. This is not the standard of journalism I would hope to see from The American Spectator.

Let’s go down the list, shall we?

First Mr. Tucker implies that keeping the cars charged up was an onerous task. He writes, “Putting an overnight charge on the battery so it can go 120 miles the next day takes four to six hours. All this had no appeal to drivers.” It would certainly be unappealing if drivers had to stand around and watch their cars charge. However, common sense would indicate that nobody really cares how long an overnight charge takes — as long as it’s done overnight. Do you care, or even know, how long it takes your cell phone to charge?

Next he quotes from a report of Vijay Vaitheeswaran: “The vehicle proved to have a much shorter range than I thought it would — closer to 50 miles than a 100.” A little research would have turned up equally compelling reports of drivers getting 150 miles out of NiMH battery-equipped EV1s. It appears highly likely that someone — either Tucker or Vaitheeswaren — confused an earlier model EV1 with PbA batteries for the more advanced NiMH-equipped model. This would not be the first time EV1 critics have glossed over the existence of the revised model and its greatly improved batteries.

Mr. Tucker implies that fans of the EV1 weren’t sincere because, “Significantly, all of these people were leasing their EV1s. None actually bought them.” In fact they weren’t allowed to buy them, the cars were only made available for lease. This is one of the larger complaints against GM’s handling of the EV1.

Mr. Tucker goes on to write that, “In its latest models, Toyota has finally relented and installed an electric hookup.” Not true. Toyota have recently announced their intention to produce a plug-in hybrid car, but nobody’s seen it yet, and nobody knows when it will be manufactured.

Mr. Tucker smells hypocrisy among environmentalists. He wrote, “In fact, most environmentalists enthusiastically supported a ‘hydrogen economy’ until President George Bush endorsed it in his 2003 State of the Union speech. Then it became part of the conspiracy.” I don’t know how many environmentalists he talked to when researching his article, but I know an awful lot of people were skeptical about hydrogen before GW started promoting it. The president’s choice to single out and support a seemingly less promising technology was what set off red flags for many.

p>And finally, “The plug-in hybrid seems to be the vehicle of choice. It gets more than 30 miles to the gallon and allows consumers to recharge off the electrical grid.” A Toyota Prius converted into a plug-in vehicle (by hobbyists, not by Toyota) reportedly gets 125 MPG. That is indeed more than 30 MPG, but it looks like Mr. Tucker is still selling the concept short of its potential even as he compliments it. br> — Tony Belding br> Hamilton, Texas /p> p> RIGHT READING br> Re: Doug Bandow’s The Quality of Cruelty : /p>

Read your absolutely wonderful article this morning and want to say how right you are.

Additionally, I believe Benedict XVI has set the wheels turning and begun the re-education the apathetic West so desperately needs right now: the requirement to understand its history and believe in strengths.

p>Thank you again. br> — A. Taylor br> Australia /p>