interested parties. Exxon had done extensive research on the societal and environmental implications of the car, and developed an internal report, which summarized the company’s conclusions. Namely, existing technologies’ benefits had not been fully realized, rendering the electric vehicle a premature addition to the market. Exxon drew a thick line between the electric vehicle, the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, and the hybrid vehicle, and relayed their findings accordingly. In an internal presentation, David Stern, Senior Advanced Fuels Advisor, commented: Comparing the electric vehicle’s MPG to a traditional vehicle is apples to oranges. The information we have about light-weighting vehicles, particularly with the use of carbon fiber and similar materials, could realize significant fuel efficiency improvements for internal combustion engines (ICEs). In order to draw a fair comparison, we need to look at the weight of the vehicles rather than their MPGes alone. Large [and therefore heavy] ICE vehicles are a product of American consumer demand. If we lighten the weight of vehicles that Americans are already driving, we can see immediate fuel savings, without incurring unnecessary infrastructure and R&D costs.xxx Part of Stern’s argument was attributed to the infrastructure changes necessary for successful market penetration of the electric vehicle. Namely, consumer behavior changes, including: potential home installation costs (which Exxon had estimated to be between $900-$2,100); daily charging; off-peak charging to limit peak demand growth; and limited range. Smith’s presentation also cited societal costs, and the likely need for subsidies to supplement expensive batteries, commercial charging stations, and a lack of revenue due to a loss via the gasoline tax. With regard to carbon emissions, Exxon saw the electric vehicle as the weakest performer among comparables (PH-EV and Hybrid). Figure 7 shows a graphic explaining the emissions of each of the aforementioned vehicles, and includes EU versus U.S. passenger cars. Based on the energy necessary to charge the vehicles, compared to gasoline power to travel the same distance, the
BMW: I3 Vehicle
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