PLUG -IN AUTOMOBILES
Electricity is one of the most inefficient means of providing power in existence. Horsepower for horsepower, more than three times as much natural gas has to be burned at the electric plant to power an electric car than if the car burned natural gas directly.
TERRY VAN BLARICOM
Sherman Oaks
Marla Cone responds: Natural gas cars pollute much less than traditional vehicles, but the compressors needed to fuel them are expensive, and the cars emit smog-causing nitrogen oxides. Nevertheless, natural gas will play an important role in the new, cleaner cars required by the state Air Resources Board.
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