Vroom, vroom
Shhh, don’t tell Speedy.
Speedy is my sparkling blue 2011 Ford Fiesta that I determined years ago I’d drive forever.
Yet another car has caught my eye, or rather another type of car has caught my eye.
I’m proud to say Speedy is no gas-guzzler, as she gets about 37-40 miles to the gallon.
Still, she’s powered by gasoline and lately I’ve taken to noticing the electric vehicles cruising along on Manatee Avenue and Gulf Drive.
I’m also reading financial forecasts that say electric cars could be less expensive than gasoline-powered cars as soon as 2025 and trends reports that all gas-powered cars could be antiques in 20 years.
UBS investment bank, for example, is predicting the end of the internal combustion engine age, saying new cars would be 20% electric in 2025, 50% in 2030 and 100% in 2040.
Back in 2011, before acquiring Speedy, my wife and I considered the environmental benefits of electric vehicles.
Cost was a concern, but we also wondered about access to charging ports on the island.
At the time, I was aware of only one AMI site — at the Historic Green Village on Pine Avenue, which also was ahead of the eco-curve with solar water heaters, solar panels and recycled rainwater.
I can’t say there’s an abundance of EV charging ports on the island since a decade ago, when I worried about running out of juice and getting stranded. However, there are at least a few more ports, particularly in Bradenton Beach.
And we’re likely to see more as a result of consumer demand, government incentives and commitments from the auto and energy sectors.
Earlier this spring, the Holmes Beach City Commission agreed to an arrangement with Florida Power and Light to host an EV charging station at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
FPL representative Ashley Fogg Shutz told The Islander the new station would include four charging ports.
“Anna Maria Island is an area we are looking at closely,” she also said. “But at this time, do not have any upcoming locations to share.”
FPL launched its EVolution pilot program in 2019 with a goal of installing more than 1,000 charging ports at 100 locations statewide, increasing the availability of ports in Florida by 50%.
The EVolution chargers work with most automobiles, including Teslas with an adapter, but are not compatible with golf carts.
And use is free for EV drivers to power up at a station.
So should Speedy need a sibling — or seek retirement — I might be looking for something sparkly blue that gets 250 miles per charge.