@Patricio -- Have to agree with you on this one. Proud to be a tree-hugging future solar-charged driver (got the solar, waiting on the EV) -- proud, but not arrogant.

I get the different strokes -- environment, national security, technology, fueling independence and economics are the 5 biggies -- for different folks thing, I really do, but I don't go out of my way to say I'm not a "techno-geek EV+PVer", or not a "right of center libertarian anti-foreign oil" guy, etc.

Tom,
Eloquent response. And I see what you're saying. There's a stereotype out there about pro-EVers that isn't necessarily true about all pro-plug in folks.

It's interesting to me, though, that the type of commenter that you're talking about that assumes that you're a bleeding heart liberal seems to be a commenter from a right-leaning political orientation.

It would be interesting to nail down, via a poll, or a series of polls both the specific reason(s) people buy EVs, or even hybrids, and their political or ideological leanings.

I have seen a poll -- and I can't find the link I sent myself in my old e-mail box -- that, if I recall correctly, showed that about 1/4 of Prius owners are Republicans (another 1/3 were independents, 1/3 dems). It's certainly reasonable to assume that there's a similar breakdown on plug-ins, though again, you'd need to do a scientific survey to check this.

Assuming that that poll of plug-in advocates/buyers would show a similar breakdown to the Prius breakdown, to me it seems like the most important thing for people who are frustrated by being stereotyped as liberal/tree-hugging etc. for opting for EVs, hybrids can do is to successfully pitch EVs/hybrids to fellow conservatives/non tree-huggers. Kill the stereotype by converting the critics/skeptics of EVs who apparently only see them as vehicles for tree-huggers.

I generally tend to focus on bringing the lefty anti-EV folks over to the pro plug-in position because, being a lefty myself, I think I have more credibility with lefties than with those on the right. In other words, I think I have a better chance of connecting with lefties, and bringing them over to the plug-in "side". Doesn't mean I don't appeal to fueling independence, get off foreign oil, etc. on SolarChargedDriving.Com -- I do. Just means I think my energy is more effectively spent on focusing a bit more on green/energy efficiency angles.

@Tom "I'll never understand how any politician can be anti EV"

Right wingers don't call themselfs Anti EV. They say they are for "free market" and are anti-subsidy. They say the government "shouldn't pick winners" in the marketplace. etc.

When I talk to "free market" types, I always talk about subsidies given to oil even after it has been in business for 150 years, including a Trillion dollar last decade alone on "securing" the oil in the middle east. I also bring up nasty subsidies like money the fed govt gives for not planting/growing and universally accepted subsidies like tax deduction for interest on mortgages.

So, either subsidies for oil should be withdrawn (that includes ethanol etc) or to create a level playing field, EVs should be subsidized.

Tom, if it weren't for hypocrisy, the right wing in America would simply cease to exist. They count on voters having extremely short memories. For example, when they are in power, they spend like drunken sailors (like double the national debt during the Bush administration) and when they're out of power, they harp on government spending and called themselves fiscal conservatives! They also never seem to get called out by the voters for their in-your-face hypocrisy.

@Electric Cars (not verified)
"Braking, like steering, has to have a mechanical component by statute"
This statement, along with numerous other statements in your post, is incorrect. There are no laws that make steer-by-wire or brake-by-wire illegal. The laws governing these systems require certain performance with any single failure. All vehicles that shut off the engine (or have no engine) either have EPAS (Electronic Power Assist Steering) or HPAS (Hydraulic PAS) with hydraulic pumps powered by electric motors. These systems are directly mechanically connected systems that have power assist that comes from electronics (directly or indirectly). However, the "direct mechanical link" is not required by law, only the capability to steer with any single failure. The easiest way to achieve this is with a mechanical link. The brake systems on many of these vehicles (not your Civic however) are considered true brake-by-wire(BBW) in that they physically separate the mechanical link between the pedal and the brakes under normal operating conditions. What they all have in common though, is that they have a mechanical (hydraulic) backup during failures. Again, a pure electronic brake-by-wire (with electro-mechanical brake calipers) is not illegal, just hard to manage all the failure modes without a lot of electronic redundancies (cost).
As far as "feel", EPAS can have a different feel compared to HPAS. All BBW systems have had issues with feel because of regen blending and artificially mimicking the force travel characteristics of a conventional system. In general, drive "feel" is tough because it is mostly opinion based. If you ask 10 people what is good "feel" you will get 20 answers.
There are additional mis-statements in your post regarding how works regen but these have been covered in previous posts by me and others.

In general, we need to quit apologizing for who we are and what we choose to purchase. (This goes for me, too.) Our Prius has a "Smile...Jesus Loves You" license plate frame. Someone can choose to be turned off by our faith, that we drive an "environmentally friendly" car that uses less oil, that our car was made in Japan, that it is blue, etc. Folks can come up with all sorts of labels that they consider to be negative. This is often the case when people feel that some of their major choices in life are being challenged. This will probably only intensify when we start driving an EV, so we might as well get over it now, and be prepared with good answers for those who question our transportation choices.

>Was the motel owner cool with you using their power to charge your car? Did they know?
This new technology can bring some interesting questions!<

I wonder... when you stay in a motel/hotel, is the property owner cool with you using their power to run the AC, or to heat the water for your bath, or to have all the towels washed every day? Some folks will run the AC all day in an empty room - because they can and because they see it as something they've already paid for. Another might charge his Volt. Both would use about the same amount of electricity. Why is charging a car judged differently than other uses (or wastes) of electricity?

@dgp: So, the idea is that we have been blessed with an awesome planet, but since the end is near, we can go ahead and trash it all we want? Isn't that a bit like being careless and sloppy with one's use of a rental car since, after all, it is going to be returned to the rental agency? If I as a father give good gifts to my children, will I be happy to see them trashing them just because they won't be needing them when they are older? The attitude you describe seems more like mis-use of religion to justify a particular, nonsensical point of view. I find it repulsive, and I'm sad to say I have encountered it myself as well.

Not caring about our Earth is one thing. And I get that some people truly don't care. But what I was taking about goes the extra step: Taking actual offense at somebody assuming that you might care? I have experience people who are violently opposed to doing anything that might be misconstrued as "good for the environment." This goes way beyond indifference. The end result is likely the same, but wow.